Talent Upgrading: Should an executive accept an offer for $23,000 less?

In this case, my answer is "yes".

Our firm specializes in working with Indiana headquartered companies that need to hire top talent to grow.  Sometimes executive search involves relocating someone from a State with oceans and mountains to Indianapolis.  Executive recruiting also involves getting top level executives to agree to take a step back in the short term for growth potential.

This month, we have an executive doing just that.  A local executive is taking a $23,000 cut in base salary to start in a position which he believes offers great potential.

I believe he's doing the right thing.  Our client believes they will be able to fulfill this exec's desire for growth, challenge, and also compensation - eventually.  

Why would anyone in his or her right mind do this?

Well, it takes a great deal of trust between the parties involved to make this type of deal successful.  First, as a retained Indianapolis search firm, we are committed to a locally headquartered company and their management team.  We believe in their team and we believe in their mission.  This was not a custom recruiting strategy that we developed to help a company "get a deal" by upgrading the talent on their executive team by "low balling" and preying upon someone.

Was this an opportunistic hire?  You bet it was.  This company has had three years of double digit growth and is in the midst of growing pains - organizationally and financially.  The CEO desperately needed to upgrade the skill level on his senior management team for the company to meet the challenges it faces.  Because our talent acquisition strategy embraced this company's mission and their need, our team was able to provide the bridge to the gap in talent the company needed.  

Today in Indianapolis, there is an exec who is tickled to be starting a new job where he will earn $23,000 less.  And, we're really happy for him - and for our client too!