Our Search Process

Your organization is unique, with unique strengths and challenges; that is why your needs govern our process. We begin by learning as much as we can about your organization and your requirements for a new team member. Then we work with you and your staff to analyze your recruitment needs and develop options for enhanced performance. Our expertise becomes the means to achieve your goals and to turn your challenges into opportunities. By tailoring our methods to the specific needs of our clients, we have successfully served some of the finest institutions throughout the nation.

Our Search Process Includes the Following Phases:

  1. Facilitating a Partnership
  2. Research & Marketing
  3. Outreach & Recruitment
  4. Qualifying & Evaluating
  5. Closing the Search

Phase 1 – Facilitating a Partnership

RPA Inc. approaches our relationship with a client as a partnership. We facilitate, rather than control, each step of the search process. We ensure that the search committee members are able to make decisions for the search based on the findings and observations from our work.

Our partnership with the committee is based on trust, so we orient them to our process in order to fully understand each step. We also gather input from the committee and other institutional constituencies to learn what they are seeking in a new team member.

Phase 2 – Research & Marketing

RPA Inc. begins developing your candidate pool through a research process that goes beyond simply identifying known prospects. Each search is strengthened by our constantly growing, proprietary database of professionals. By this point in the search process, our team and consultants will be individually acquainted with the unique qualities and characteristics of your institution. They will research and identify individuals outside of our existing network and target potential candidates who align with the values and needs of the institution.

RPA Inc. also begins to build a robust pool of candidates through vigorous marketing techniques. These include placement of multimedia advertising that reaches thousands of individuals worldwide as well as multiple targeted outreaches to professionals across the nation announcing and promoting the opportunity at your institution.

Phase 3 – Outreach & Recruitment

RPA Inc. consultants begin the networking process by initiating conversations with prospective candidates, eliciting interest in your opportunity, and inviting professionals to submit nominations. These conversations allow RPA Inc. to align the needs and parameters for the position to the qualities, skills, and experience of the individuals contacted. During this process, RPA Inc. takes care of all the heavy-lifting of managing your candidates including: fielding questions, responding to emails, providing additional information, and processing application materials.

Top candidates are assessed as to their interest in the position, availability, specific experience, administrative style, and any additional characteristics that may be of importance to the evaluation process. The information gathered, combined with our expertise, is then used to support the search committee in making their decisions.

Phase 4 – Qualifying & Evaluating

Through our unique, multi-level evaluation process, your RPA Inc. consultant interviews personally with the committee’s choice of top candidates. While these interviews are underway, your search manager will conduct initial reference calls on behalf of each semifinal candidate. The results of this reference work will be shared with the committee prior to its choosing candidates to invite for neutral-site or on-site interviews.

Once the finalists are identified, additional reference work will be conducted, which may include investigation of specific questions or concerns identified by the institution. Other pertinent investigations may be undertaken at the instruction of the client.

Phase 5 – Closing the Search

RPA Inc. offers the benefit of expert planning and support for the execution of your
on-site finalist interviews. We will assist in establishing a definitive interview process that will give each relevant constituency adequate knowledge of every finalist and create opportunities to interact with candidates in a variety of settings.

Identifying a top candidate is not the end of your search. To ensure a satisfactory conclusion to your search, RPA Inc. continues to consult with you as you develop your relationship with your top candidate. RPA Inc. serves, if needed, as counselor and facilitator during sensitive post-interview evaluations and salary negotiations.