The ERA & AESC Researcher Professional Development Certification Program
May 11th to 14th
The program is split into three parts:
1. The Workshop. Rachel Roche, a long time partner of the AESC and architect of this
program will deliver four interactive webinars that will run for 90 minutes each day.
The topics covered are below and the webinars are a perfect opportunity, not only to
listen to the advice that Rachel can bring to the table, but to learn from one another
through debating, questioning and role playing.
2. The Online Courses. Once you have completed the webinars you will be set up
with six online courses. You can take these courses as and when you’re ready and
there is no deadline with them. Each course takes on average 60 minutes, but
completion time can differ depending on how comfortable you feel with the topic. The
topics can be viewed further down this document.
3. The Exam. The Exam is split into two parts. An online and oral section. The online
section is a series of multiple choice questions with a pass mark of 70%. For the oral
exam you will be given a case study which involves making three phone calls on the
topics of sourcing, pitching and qualifying. The examiners are two heads of research
from leading executive search firms.
4. The Cost. £350 GBP inc VAT for the full Program.
Please see the program for Workshop below. Call commence at 3pm GMT (UK Time)
Monday 11th May
Tuesday 12th May
Wednesday 13th May
Thursday 14th May
Getting Past the Gatekeeper and Pitching Your Search Effectively
Sourcing
Qualifying Candidates over the Phone and Talking About
Compensation
Maintaining Candidate Interest and Overcoming Objections
Why take this?
This is a unique program for researchers to take. This program covers a range of everyday
issues you will come up against in both live webinars and recorded online course formats.
When you finish the first two parts you will be assessed as both the ERA and the AESC
want to make sure you are operating at the highest level possible. Once passed, you will
receive a certificate acknowledging your completion with signatures from both the global
association of retained executive search firms and the executive research association. This
program is held in high regard by member firms of the AESC and is a recognized
qualification within the executive search industry. There are currently 121 researchers who
have completed this program globally form large firms such as CTPartners, Korn/Ferry and
Boyden to smaller boutiques and independent research firms. This is the only
comprehensive external certification program designed for researchers.
The Seven Expert Forums (Webinars)
Course
Competencies



Qualifying Candidates
Over the Phone





Eliciting Candidate
Compensation
Information over the
Phone





Maintaining and Managing
Candidate Interest




Getting to the "heart" of qualification quickly
Keeping control of the call
Using the Litmus Test to get essential
information
Getting accurate compensation data
Bringing forward only qualified candidates
Avoiding wasting your consultant's time and your
client's money
How to discuss your client's compensation
without sabotaging your prospect
How to provide critical compensation data to
sources
When and whether to elicit candidate
compensation during the first outreach call
How to ask about compensation
Getting data from reluctant candidates
How to handle someone who won't discuss
compensation
Learning why candidates should be interested in
your search
How to discover what's motivating your candidates
Keeping candidates "warm" throughout the search
process
Dealing with clients' delays in choosing a candidate
Managing the tough scenarios regarding
candidate interest


Overcoming
Candidate Objections




Getting Past
The Gatekeeper






Maximizing Your Source
Call





Pitching Your Search
Effectively




Uncovering the nature of the candidate's
objection
Special case objections and how to handle
them
Changing the mission of your call in the
face of an objection
Helping the candidate get past the
objection
Working with your consultant to turn
reluctance into interest
How to build a rapport with gatekeepers to
ensure that your search can move forward
quickly and efficiently
Effective ways of introducing yourself, your
firm and why you are calling
How to leave email and voicemails effectively
to increase your 'callback' rate
Presenting your firm and client in a positive light
Introducing the “mission“ of your call
Personalizing the call
Using the Litmus Test to explain your target
candidate
Helping your source think of referrals
Learning more than just the names
Building a long-lasting relationship with the
source
The elements of the successful pitch
How to customize your pitch for prospects and
sources
Envisioning your search from the prospect’s point of
view
Getting comfortable with selling
The OST – how to engage your listener
Managing questions during the pitch
The Six Online Courses


Due Diligence in
Executive Search –
Background & Reference
Checking






Creating An
Effective Search
Strategy




Understand the difference between background
and reference checking and why these checks
are critical to the search process performed
Create a clear understanding with your client
about who will be responsible for which checks
and how they will be performed
Obtain candidate waivers and comply with
current legislation
Prepare for and take thorough reference checks
Know what questions you can and can't ask
legally
Deal with the reluctant reference
Understanding the project - Your clients’ needs,
the nature of the position and what the
successful candidate will look like
Creating a search strategy template to help you
find the right candidate
Building the “Litmus Test“ to use effectively
throughout your search
Developing a targeted universe of prospects that
meet the search criteria
Managing time to plan and allocate the right
amount of attention to each stage of the search
Solving the issues of a troubled search



Telephone Outreach
& Qualifying
Candidates








Candidate Development
& Client Management





Communicating your pitch effectively to
prospects and sources
The “One Sexy Thing“ of your search and
how to use it for maximum benefit
Developing a calling strategy and making
it work
Managing gatekeepers to get the
information you require and the responses
you need
Identifying key sources critical to your
search
Building relationships with sources: help
them to help you
Using the “litmus test“ to qualify prospects
and help sources
The recruiting call: managing objections,
determining motivations and closing out
calls with prospects and candidates
Analyzing a resume against “the litmus test“ to
determine the suitability of a candidate
Creating a matrix to compare candidate's strengths
and weaknesses
Evaluating and presenting concise search results to
your consultant
Managing active candidates to keep them interested
in your search
Dealing with the issues of a reluctant candidate
Showcasing your firm to maximize opportunities for
business development
Closing out the unqualified candidate quickly and
professionally
Working as a team with your consultant to create
efficiencies and maximize results


Name Generation








Relationship Building
Through Professional
Practices



The “litmus test” which helps you define an excellent
candidate
How to find target companies and look for
candidates within
Understanding the title and function you’re
researching
Using the internet as a preparatory tool
Handling calls to headquarters, regional offices, and
high-level executives
Overcoming fear during name generation calls
Learning something from every call
What happens when you're stuck?
Supporting your firm’s client outreach efforts
Building your firm’s intellectual capital through
Research
Professionalism in approaching prospects and
sources
Enhancing your firm’s reputation through source and
candidate interaction
Building your own professional network
To book and for payment please contact:
Toby Gowan
tgowan@aesc.org
+44 7875 682857