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- ExecutiveBiz spoke to senior leaders at some of government contracting“™s most powerful firms to find out whom they turn to when they need an executive position filled, and compiled the 10 recruiters you need to know.
To get a sense of their positions on government contracting, we asked the recruiters for their take on the current state of the industry and where they see it going in the future.
“More and more of our government-contracting clients are retaining us to perform very confidential searches. Boards and CEOs appear more dedicated than ever to evaluating their current leadership teams, and launching a confidential search where appropriate, for the primary purpose of seeking to upgrade the leadership talent and take advantage of new business opportunities.
“Also, the best candidates have multiple opportunities, so government-contracting organizations must compete aggressively to lure the very best in a ‘short supply’ candidate market. Many of our clients, especially those in the intelligence and technology sectors, are very desirous of hiring cybersecurity executives to build, grow, and leverage cyber opportunities. We have performed a dozen search assignments in this arena since the start of the year. Government-contracting companies are working expeditiously to align their business operations with the new government-contracting business segments, resulting in a series of divesture’s and acquisitions to help cement their place in a given market space.
Do you have any predictions for the future of the business?
“The war for talent at the executive level in the government contracting industry will only intensify over the next few years. New leaders need to be developed and succession planning needs to be the key objective to corporate success. The industry has a limited supply of business executives and there are countless opportunities for government-contracting companies to expand into new and synergistic market spaces. The industry will run out of talented people well before the opportunities dry up. Good people are always hard to find in both good and bad economic times, and of course the very best have multiple opportunities. We will only see this intensify over the next few years as business opportunities become more focused and narrow.”
What sets your practice apart in the field?
“We continue a strong communication strategy through the course of our work to avoid any possible surprises at the solution delivery phase. Eighty five percent of our government-contracting clients have worked with us for more than five years. We have become the ‘trusted adviser’ to many corporate CEOs and boards as they grapple with the growth and development of their key leadership roles. We have developed a tremendous depth of knowledge in the government-contracting industry and have been active in this market segment for the last 20 years. We are very willing to share our knowledge with our client corporations to assist them in arriving at optimal decisions in regard to the very best leadership talent in the industry.”
Are there any recommendations you can make to executives looking to enhance their personal brand?
“Be known in the market. Participate in events and activities to expand their reach and enhance their market image. Always listen to executive search opportunities and ensure you develop relationships with the key industry leaders.”
