The Lansing & Whitfield Focus

Why use search in these economic times? Why Lansing & Whitfield?

If you are looking to fill a position, it is easy to assume that, in these difficult economic times, your ad in a key professional journal will be rewarded with a flood of applications and nominations. Why isn’t this true anymore and why is it harder than ever to ‘seal the deal’?

Fewer Applications

Qualified candidates at senior levels, particularly for senior leadership positions, are reluctant to respond to an ad:

• The unrewarding job they have is better than the uncertainty of the marketplace;
• there is uncertainty about the search committee process- who is on the committee? will their candidacy be confidential?
• the challenges surrounding a move whether it is across the street or across the country are daunting.

Changes in the workplace

• A new hire is not a replacement for a former incumbent but rather someone who can be entrepreneurial, forward thinking, and savvy about new technologies;
• institutions expect more from a new hire.

Things Fall Apart

• Candidates get cold feet and withdraw even after a successful interview;
• negotiating an offer is delicate - candidates have complicated personal ties, children in school, partners and spouses with jobs, elderly parents nearby and a house which they might have difficulty selling;
• a counter offer from a candidate’s current institution might end the discussions.

Why a search firm?

• We help you scope out the position so that it responds to the needs of the institution;

• we reach out to potential candidates (including underrepresented minorities) who might be responsive to a personal call and invite them to explore the position and apply;
• we represent the institution, describe the opportunity, explain the process, and emphasize confidentiality;
• through in-depth conversations we learn about the motivations of the candidates, their concerns and their needs, and are able to keep them engaged in the process.

Why Lansing & Whitfield?

• The client receives the full attention of two very senior experienced consultants who work together as a team on all projects;
• we accept only a limited number of searches so that we can dedicate ourselves to the client institution and their search process;
• we have personal experience as both administrators and faculty and understand the culture and structure of colleges and universities;
• we have a lot of repeat business which speaks to our clients’ satisfaction.