Our search method
Let's explore some example projects
As a highly selective firm committed to personal attention, ByalaSearch customizes every search to its clients’ needs. We always seek an in-depth and nuanced understanding of a client’s environment and of the team the client is seeking to build. We then run a time- and cost-effective search to meet those needs and find just the right candidate.
ByalaSearch goes a step further, as well, playing a vital role in negotiating the offer and the contract, and doing follow-up work. It’s no wonder that many clients return to ByalaSearch for their next executive search and many of our successful candidates become clients themselves.
The search:
Based on a long history of conducting searches for leaders of cultural institutions, ByalaSearch was retained to conduct a search for another cultural leader. Through ByalaSearch’s extensive network as well as original research conducted for the purposes of identifying an even broader pool of candidates, we set to work. Searches for cultural leaders, which can be national and international as this one was, are always exciting, replete with qualified candidates and a community always willing to help. ByalaSearch identified candidates through this process, updating the search committee every ten days, providing an interview guide and advice on how to conduct not only the first interview but all subsequent interactions with finalist candidates, and Lisa Byala’s personal presence at the candidate and search committee meetings when requested.
The results:
A well known leader has taken the reins of the institution, energized it and engaged the community. The institution’s shows are often reviewed in publications around the country, and Lisa Byala remains in touch with the placement as well as members of the search committee who continue to find opportunities to work with her.
The search:
The project began with a long known leader of a small development team seeking to expand her team and requesting us to conduct multiple searches at once. While eager to assist, we gave guidance to conduct two initially in order to thoughtfully build the team and culture. Lisa Byala personally visited the organization to meet the existing team, colleagues and collaborators to the team and spend more time with the client. While getting to know the institution and the type of leader the client is as well as the type of team she sought to build, ByalaSearch used competency-based interviewing, which she encourages clients to consistently do throughout the process, to identify candidates with the right skills who were also the ideal cultural fit for the team and the institution as a whole.
The results:
Through a consultative process with Lisa Byala, first the scope of the searches was established, with the final result being the searches were successful, resulting in long-term placements and ongoing team-building over years, including identifying the new leader of this formidable group.
The search:
Conducting a CFO search in the education and not-for-profit arenas means looking at candidates coming from those sectors and the private sector. That is just what the client, a premier music conservatory, had in mind. The search took place under particularly tight time pressures and ByalaSearch – having recently worked on another search for the institution and having familiarity with the board – was able to quickly identify candidates who were good cultural fits and would be strong contributors to the team. We presented the client with a mix of targeted candidates, some of whom had combined experience in the private and not-for-profit sectors and others who had focused experience in one sector or the other.
The results:
The successful candidate emerged with a career in audit and financial function leadership roles, most recently as the Vice President of Finance for the leading music publisher, combining his functional expertise and his love of music. Continuing under a tight deadline, ByalaSearch quickly took his references and conducted offer negotiations that satisfied the candidate and worked within the client’s budget.
