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Specialized vs. general knowledge – who wins the race for C-Suite positions?

A lot of times in a lot of different contexts I have mentioned in my articles, that in executive search it can be quite a tricky question whether expert or general knowledge is more important. In an industry like the life sciences especially this question pops up quite frequently. There are people who say that once you reach a certain career level, expert knowledge becomes less and less important while others say that in our times today, general knowledge is more of a hobby and actually quite obsolete. I find this discussion rather interesting an

Updated 4 years ago

What makes a headhunter good? – according to me

Filling a high-profile position, e.g. in the C-Suite, is a delicate task and often (rightfully so) involves a headhunter / executive search company. For the company that needs to fill the position, in case they don’t already have a go-to-consultant, that means they have to find a good headhunter to help them. Often they ask themselves: how do I know who’s a good headhunter and who isn’t? What are the characteristics of quality there? Is it the price? Is it the size? Or is it the profile?<strong style="background-color: tr

Updated 4 years ago

How to look for an executive job

Throughout the many years I have worked in executive search dealing with candidates that were looking for jobs at a very high level, I have made some observations. One is that there is no generally applicable strategy for how to look for an executive job. Another is that a lot of the guidelines for such a search are actually common sense and should be known to literally everyone. (Spoiler: that’s not the case.) And yet another is that executive search never starts with the actual search but way before that.<strong style="

Updated 4 years ago

The mindset of the C-Suite – what does it take?

Professionally I need to get into the mind of the C-Suite all the time. I not only need to understand what the decision makers in a company need but I also need to assess people’s ability to cut it in a C-level position. Both angles need a quite detailed understanding of what it takes to succeed in the C-Suite. Don’t get me wrong – we’re talking about very different people in very different companies and even industries, so there is not a single type that fits. But there are certain traits and tendencies that occur more often in C-level positions

Updated 4 years ago

When life and science come together – getting from innovation to commercialization

In life science businesses today the key to success seems to be innovation. At least judging from the frequency the word is mentioned in regards to thriving life science companies. Innovation for sure is important in life sciences but it doesn’t automatically “come with” success. Actually getting from innovation to commercialization is quite difficult and is a very important transition that decides over the long-term success of ideas.Innovation – as the breaking of existing patterns with

Updated 4 years ago

Lead people through change – and keep the balance within

When was the last time you caught yourself saying or thinking something similar to: „Back when I was working in this and that position everything was so different.“ And: yes, it probably was. Because the way we work today is profoundly different from “back then” and it’s still constantly changing. It’s no wonder change has become a key phrase in leadership and management discussions. How do you deal with change yourself and how do you lead your team through it?Changes in the wo

Updated 4 years ago

The nature of challenges and how to VUCA your way through

Lately I have come across the acronym VUCA quite a lot. Have you? It’s usually dropped in the context of management and leadership discussions and how qualities evolve in those areas. Basically VUCA is short for volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity – all words that sound rather uncomfortable. Well, that’s basically the point.Preparing your mindThe general point of VUCA is to emphasize the constantly cha

Updated 4 years ago

Hiring the best - What kind of people do you need?

We all need good people for our companies. The higher up the level goes the more crucial it becomes to not make expensive hiring mistakes. And if you’re interested in making your company grow and thrive (and chances are fairly high that you are) you’ll likely be interested in hiring the best. Since I’m assisting my clients with that for more than 18 years now, it’s time to shed some light on „the best“ and who they are.Assess your needs<span style="background-

Updated 4 years ago

Secrets to finding the best candidates

As a headhunter your job seems pretty simple: find the right person for the job. And yet the industry is broad and challenging for a reason. Finding the right person is so very hard to do. Some are better at it and some worse. And it’s all very much a team effort and depends a lot on how you work with your team as well. But what makes the difference between just finding anyone and finding the best one? Here are some of my secrets:Finding out who that is<span s

Updated 4 years ago

Once you made it – what changes in the C-Suite?

When you aim your career at an executive position you might be a rather smart fellow. Meaning: you probably want to prepare and strategically take the right steps to get there. In order to know what’s necessary to make it, it’s useful to have some idea about what awaits you there. What is actually different about a C-level position and how can you prepare for these changes?Less technical knowledge, more leadership skills<span style="background-color: transpare

Updated 4 years ago