How to Find the Right Interim Manager

A changing business landscape and slow economic recovery, has led to many businesses restructuring and opting for an Interim Manager to lead them through change. Increasingly businesses are launching key strategic projects to grow the business or to reduce costs, and Interim Managers with specialist skills are ideal to offer guidance, and leadership. It’s just a case of finding the right Interim Manager!

Define who you’re looking for…

When you’ve identified the need for an Interim Manager, you need to think about the kind of person that you’re looking for. Think about:

• Level of Experience – Are you looking for a lifetime of experience in the industry, or 3-5 years of experience with a competitor? Are you looking for a certain level of education?
• Leadership Abilities – Do you need someone who can effectively lead team members through change, or someone who can work effectively alone?
• Industry Knowledge – Is it essential that they fully understand your industry, or are you looking for someone with transferable skills who could bring a new perspective?

Once you’ve identified the kind of person you’re looking for, it’ll make it much easier to benchmark candidates and make that all important final decision.

Target them effectively…

It’s unlikely that a simple recruitment campaign will find you the perfect candidate. More often than not, skilled Interim Managers are registered with agencies who will move them from role to role. Consider approaching a specialist recruitment agency, to see who they have to share with you, or who they could target for the role.

Keep an open mind…

There are certain individuals that you’ll interview that you would never choose for a permanent position. It could be because their skills are too focussed in a certain area or that you worry they wouldn’t fit in with the culture of your business. However you need to remember that they’re not a permanent member of staff and their niche specialism could prove to be exactly what your business needs.

Decide how you’ll measure success…

Before your chosen Interim Manager starts in your business, you need to decide how you’re going to measure their success in the role. This will help you determine whether hiring an Interim Manager is beneficial to your business, and help you plan more effectively for the future. It will also help you gauge the performance of the individual, to see whether you feel they could add value in any other area of your business.

Hiring an Interim Manager is always tricky, as often you’re looking for someone with a very specific set of skills. However when you find the right recruitment company, and eventually the right candidate, the skills they can bring to your business can be invaluable.

Peter Forshaw, Managing Director, Maxwell Stephens

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