Overview

WilliamCharles Search Group is a Grand Rapids-based Executive Search and Professional Recruiting Firm founded by recruiting veterans Bill Benson and Chuck Smeester. Since early 2001, WilliamCharles has earned a reputation as one of West Michigan’s most prominent and successful executive recruiting leaders, in addition to becoming known throughout the industry as a premier provider of highly skilled professional talent.

WilliamCharles’ service commitment to clients does not start with an assignment and stop when the position is filled. WilliamCharles takes a highly personalized, active role to help clients handle all stages of a candidate’s pre-employment transition and beyond. We understand the impact of hiring the right—or the wrong person and perform our due-diligence up front.

At WilliamCharles, our candidates are guaranteed to deliver exceptional performance and make a profound impact on your organization. Our work is not complete until we have worked with you to realize that goal.

Executive Search

There are times when you need a dedicated resource to handle a senior level or specialized search within your organization. WilliamCharles will structure an approach to help you find the candidate who will deliver exceptional results. We have specialized understanding of finance, human resources, information technology, legal, marketing, operations and sales functions.

Our Principals bring over 40 years of combined executive search experience to your assignment. We will customize our structured search and selection process to fit your needs. This executive search methodology ensures that a high level of screening and interviewing accompanies each candidate referred to you. We also use an assessment methodology that ensures that the successful candidate will be a fit for the opportunity.
The WilliamCharles process is not complete when an offer is accepted. We remain engaged with both the client and candidate to ensure a successful transition, even through the initial term of employment.

When should an organization consider using executive search?

• When a position is at a senior level
• When the position is a specialized function highly critical to the organization and/or the right candidate is especially difficult to find
• When the resources of the HR department are stretched thin and it is imperative that a senior level search be accomplished quickly
• When the organization needs an objective, unbiased process to find and assess candidates for a position
• When the search must be conducted on a highly confidential basis
• When the position open requires a high level of objective assessment to determine the candidate who is the best possible fit

Methodology

Understanding Your Needs

• We jointly develop an overview of your organization and the opportunity
• We create a thorough profile of your goals, direction, structure, culture and expectations
• We create a comprehensive position profile reflecting critical requirements of the position
  Research, Screening and Recruiting
• We research and identify possible sources of candidates
• We develop a direct recruiting strategy to find the right candidates
• We screen candidates based on the position profile
• We conduct preliminary interviews and reference checks before sending any candidates to you
  

Reporting, Candidate Presentation and Interviews

• We review results of our assessment with you and agree on candidates to be interviewed
• We coordinate the interviews, help you schedule and devise travel logistics and come to your site for candidate visits
  

The Offer and Closing Process

• We work with you throughout the offer and acceptance process
• We participate in structuring compensation, presenting the offer and negotiating with the candidate
  

Follow-up

• We continue to work with the candidate after the offer is accepted to ensure a successful transition
• We maintain contact with you and the candidate during the transition process and throughout the first year of employment

Professional Recruitment

Our client focused professional recruiting approach is based on finding passive candidates that are not answering ads or reviewing internet job boards. Our approach begins with a thorough specification of the position and is defined by our ability to screen and match the very best candidates available. Although candidate fit and evaluation is often subjective we strive to only refer quality candidates.

WilliamCharles operates with the primary goal of building long term relationships with our client companies. We operate at the highest level of professionalism and ethics. Use us as a benchmark. It costs you nothing unless you hire the candidate through us.

Contract Placement

Our services are available on both an interim/temporary and direct hire basis. Our primary goal is to build long-term relationships with our clients. We understand that every company has a unique culture and distinct hiring needs-and therefore we carefully custom-match and refer only the most qualified candidates with speed and efficiency.