Executive Search Services

Education Leadership Services understands that engaging your community and gathering input is a significant step in finding the best qualified Education Executive for your district. Engagement with your community is a key part of the search process as it will provide the Board with input regarding the skills, experience and characteristics the community would like to see in the next Education Executive.  ELS is committed to engaging with as many members of your community as possible. Some of the ways in which we accomplish this is by providing: 

• One-to-one meetings with each individual Board member

• Holding focus group meetings with faculty and staff

• Holding community meetings in the district

• Meeting with community members individually or in small groups

• An online survey to gather additional input from your community

We use a comprehensive package of recruiting techniques to ensure we are reaching out to all potential candidates. Recruiting candidates is an important process as it ensures that the Board will have a diverse slate of candidates from which to consider for their next Educational Executive. Our Team Members are from all regions of  California. Due to their extensive work in state wide superintendent organizations, they are aware of outstanding Superintendents and aspiring Superintendents in California.

FINDING THE RIGHT CANDIDATE

Our Team Members continue to serve and work with state and national Superintendent organizations  so that they can be a source of potential candidates for each search. We have Team Members who have held leadership positions and served on the Boards of the California School Boards Association, the American Association of School Administrators, the California Association of Latino Superintendents & Administrators, and the Association of California School Administrators, Southern California Superintendents and Suburban School Superintendents. During the Recruitment Process of the Search, ELS Team Members will:

•  Prepare and place advertisements as determined by the Board

•  Recruit and contact candidates utilizing their extensive knowledge and understanding of education associations

•  Communicate directly with candidates regarding the search process

•  Interview candidates

•  Conduct reference checks that will include extensive internet searches on prospective candidates

•  Provide the Board with a list of the best qualified candidates

•  Prepare the Board with the appropriate application materials so the Board can make their selection as to who to interview

SCREENING THE CANDIDATE

Making certain that the most qualified candidates are brought forward for the Board's consideration is the most important task of our Search process. When we are recruiting candidates, we utilize the informal references that the extensive network of educational organizations provides.  Prior to the formal interview process, Team Members will meet and screen the top candidates for the Board's consideration. Prior to this interview with ELS Team Members, we will engage in a formal vetting process that will include contacting all the listed references, individuals who are not listed but have supervised the candidate and a check into the candidates use of social media.  

Additionally, ELS Team Members often recommend that the Board conduct additional background checks for the selected finalist or finalist(s). The first is to conduct a comprehensive background check by an independent organization. This would include a check on their criminal background and civil court records. The second background check would consist of a visit to the finalist(s) current place of employment to meet with their community, supervisors and current Board members.  

The interview process can be daunting for individual Board Members and the Board as a whole, especially if this is their first search for an Education Executive.  ELS Team Members are committed to supporting the Board through this process and help the Board when they meet and interview the semi-finalists and finalists.  Our goal is to manage all of the processes during the interviews so that the Board can conduct the interview, understand and reflect upon each candidate's answers to the interview questions and assess each candidate's qualifications.  A significant difference between ELS and other search firms is that ELS Team Members are NOT present in the room where the interviews are taking place but instead are in a room close by in order to help the Board discuss each candidate after each round of interviews.  We believe that during the interview process, the presence of the search team creates an artificial setting that can provide misleading information to the Board as they make their decision. The ELS Team will provide: 

• A slate of recommended candidates and the rationale for why they are to be interviewed as semi-finalists -  the Board will make the final decision as to who they will interview

• Provide the Board with interview questions and create an "interview script" for board members to utilize during the semi-finalist interviews

• Based upon the Board's recommendations, create a schedule for the Board with selected semi-finalists and finalists

• At the end of each round of interviews, facilitate a discussion to discuss each candidate

• If requested, contact and facilitate the  independent investigative background check(s) of the finalist(s) candidates 

• Communicate with all unsuccessful applicants