It is always a challenge to get the real function behind the job profile and the real story behind the CV on the table. The added value of having the right corporate affairs or communications professional in the right place becomes particularly clear when the organisation’s reputation is under pressure. This is when board members and communications directors need to be able to rely on each other’s understanding and trust.
That is why my interviews with candidates are not just about professional background and ambitions. Equally important is ‘what makes you tick’, in what situations you are at your best and how you work together.
It’s about finding out where the potential candidate can make a difference. What it takes to be successful in an organisation. What the expectations of a director or board are. Because the best CV is not necessarily the best candidate for the job. An honest reflection on both professional and client expectations is crucial.
After a career in communications on the agency side and in the corporate world, I decided to move into executive search in 2000. Founding Herman Rutgers in 2008 brought the icing on the cake: entrepreneurship. We are a great team of seven women working for top companies. That gives me new energy every day.
