Executive staffing agencies are constantly on the hunt for the best and newest talent to bring into the companies and corporations that hire them for their talent acquisition management services. Usually people are most concerned with determining what it is an executive placement agency is looking for in a candidate. While this is certainly important, there is a whole other level to this business relationship.

That’s between the company in need of executive search consultants and the executive placement agency itself. About 35% of CEOs of small and midsize businesses reported that staffing is the most significant business issue they currently face, cited twice as frequently as any other issue, according to a survey by Vistage. Here are three qualities to look for in an executive placement agency to ensure you find one that will help you find the right person to ultimately hire.

1. Retention/Success Rates: The number one factor when it comes to judging the success of an HR executive recruiter is probably retention rate. Approximately 57% of organizations view employee retention as a problem. While longevity doesn’t mean everything, it certainly holds a lot of weight. Chances are subpar hires won’t last very long. In fact, 22% of new hires leave their jobs within 45 days of being hired.
2. Similar Goals/Views: It’s important to realize that working with a company that has the same sort of goals and world views as you can go a long way in them finding compatible candidates. If you’re company is more focused on the human/community development side of things it probably won’t be a great idea to hire a executive placement agency that’s only about the bottom-line numbers.
3. Willingness to Become Expert On You: If the company you’re going to hire to hire executives for you can’t be bothered to become somewhat of an expert on you and your industry, they’re probably not very committed to your long-term success. Find an executive placement agency that’s willing to put in the time to really learn the ins and outs, as this will ultimately lead to more qualified candidates.

The price you’ll pay for employee turnover can be quite significant. Estimates range from 30% to 150% of the employee?s salary. Increase your odds of avoiding this altogether by taking the same amount of time and effort into picking you executive placement agency as you would the potential employee.