ISM offers two key services: Executive Search for permanent, full-time directors & managers Executive Search for temporary, interim directors & managers The Key Elements of ISM European Service ISM was originally established in 1986 as a firm of marketing consultants and officially accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing as the first consultants to specialise in the European sporting goods industry. Since then, ISM has completed more than 100 strategic marketing plans, assisting clients with their sales and distribution strategy for Europe. This background has given ISM a unique understanding of European markets. Once a strategic marketing plan has been approved, clients frequently ask ISM to recommend people to implement the plan. As a result, ISM has now become the leading European firm of specialist recruitment consultants, serving the European sporting goods, fitness, golf, outdoor, and extreme sports industries. ISM is an ISO 9001 Registered Firm and has an outstanding reputation for confidentiality, integrity and market intelligence. Each ISM project is sole and exclusive to ISM. This guarantees that there can be no breach of security for either clients or candidates. The ISM Registered Trade Mark recognises 19 years of experience as the leading European head-hunters serving the industry. The ISM database has been developed and expanded over 19 years and has no comparable competitor. The ISM software programme has been written specifically for the industry and is able to profile client needs and candidate skills, matching each with exceptional accuracy. The ISM office systems are acknowledged by the industry as being particularly relevant and objective, including the ISM candidate application form, the ISM job specification and the ISM interview form. The ISM Search programme The client advises ISM of the vacant position. ISM visits the client to be given details of the job and the profile of ideal candidate, taking particular care over the client's requirements for empathy, training, skills & experience. ISM prepares a draft terms of reference (TOR) and draft contract. The client approves TOR and signs contract. The client is not under any obligation and is not liable for any fees until the contract has been signed. ISM prepares draft job specification. The client approves the job specification. ISM searches for all registered candidates who match the job specification. ISM may also identify specific non-registered candidates who also match the job specification. ISM interviews all relevant candidates and identifies up to 5 recommended candidates, taking particular care to match the candidate's chemistry with the client's culture. ISM prepares CV's with photograph and interview notes. The Client interviews each of the ISM recommended candidates, normally on the same day. The Client selects the candidate to employ and sends a written job offer. The selected candidate receives and accepts the written job offer and resigns from his/her current employer. The candidate sends written approval for ISM to contact the four named referees of the candidate. ISM contacts the referees in complete confidence and requests comments about the candidate. The name of the new employer is not disclosed to the referees. Advertising The objective of recruitment advertising is to achieve quality of response rather than quantity. Although ISM has over 5000 carefully selected registered candidates, occasionally ISM may recommend to the client that the vacancy should be advertised as an additional search. The cost of advertising will be charged to the client. ISM will design and place all relevant advertising. The ISM identity is strongly associated with professional integrity and confidentiality and the ISM logo is a familiar sight in the Media. ISM normally recommends a covert advertisement, using only the ISM name and logo. This style of advertisement always attracts the most positive and committed response, because the Grade A candidates targeted by the advertising may well be currently employed by one of the client's major competitors. Candidates in this situation are quite naturally reluctant to declare their hand openly to the competition. Overt advertising by brands can therefore be up to 80% less effective than covert consultant's advertising. The brand name may, of course, be added to an ISM advertisement when circumstances do not demand anonymity.