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In 2006, Julie Allen of Allen Partners Ltd noticed a significant change: technology and media were reshaping communication. LinkedIn was gaining traction, and the first iPhone was released. Before we knew it, we were looking down at our phones instead of talking with each other.
“With this technology, people started to give less while appearing to give more,” Allen reflects. “The executive search world embraced efficiency, but it went too far – people have hearts, minds and intellect, and efficiency doesn’t always meet their needs. People are hungry for insight and, more than ever, want to be noticed and valued.
The lack of true dialogue today impacts our sense of fulfillment and how we relate to one another. While technology is beneficial, we shouldn’t rush past communication; without it, companies, teams, and individuals can’t relate to each other.”
“People are hungry for insight.”
Through her executive search firm, Allen has spent years placing leaders who fit both company goals and team dynamics. She helps clients look beyond “must-have” qualifications to find candidates who gel with the team’s values and nuance.
“Our executive search work is designed around the needs of our company clients, and our responsibility is to achieve a great outcome for them, but for this to be successful, it must be a great outcome for both the company and the candidate,” Allen explains.
As her firm grew, many people began seeking her guidance for their personal career growth as they wanted her perspective through this real-world, filtered lens. “They wanted dialogue, candid feedback, insight, perspective and to be discovered in new ways. Career coaching is an opportunity to say, ‘I’m going to understand what truly matters to you so I can offer a perspective you haven’t considered before.’”
Q&A
Can you share an example of how your deep understanding of a candidate’s background led to a successful placement?
The CEO of a startup in the med-tech industry was looking to hire a VP of Marketing and Business Development with a rare combination of skills: corporate business development experience and strong marketing leadership. This unique background was nearly impossible to find in the medical device industry.
I devised a strategy to find such a candidate and discovered a commercial leader with deep industry knowledge, marketing expertise and unexpected experience in corporate business development. He had regularly participated in business development meetings, evaluating startup pitches and advising on potential acquisitions – experience the CEO highly valued but wasn’t being highlighted by the candidate.
When I presented this candidate to the CEO, it was a perfect match. The CEO was thrilled to find someone who truly understood what strategic companies were looking for, and the candidate, who had not realized the full value of his experience, was equally excited. The candidate was hired, leading to four years of great success, and the company was eventually acquired for $650 million. The candidate I placed is now a CEO himself.
