(pictured: Peter Dawson)

Well-known recruitment executive Peter Dawson has published an e-book which calls for greater flexibility in the business models adopted by recruitment firms in financial services, due to the contraction in funds management and wealth management since the global financial crisis.

“Clients should be able to direct the process, if they want to and have the capabilities, and use recruitment professionals for all or various parts of the process,” he says.

“For example, the recruitment firm can either search the market, which is the usual model, or just cull and interview candidates already sourced by the client. The client needs to decide whether it wants to advertise or not, and whether it’s under its own name. What I set out to do (with the e-book) is to detail and analyse all the options. A lot of recruitment is done on an ad hoc basis.”

Dawson, who had a career in funds management before moving into recruitment, estimates that about 70 per cent of funds management and wealth management recruitment is performed directly by the company’s HR department, without the use of a recruitment consultant.

“What I like to do is work with these institutions to discuss their business practices for recruitment.”

The 50-page e-book, which has chapters written by Dawson’s friends and associates, such as Susan Rochester, includes many tips for companies involved in recruiting both senior and junior staff, such as the use of social media and how to conduct an interview.

Dawson plans to co-market the e-book with Rochester, who runs a HR consulting firm, Balance At Work, and helped in the editing process. He says the principles in the book are appropriate for many industries.

You can request a free copy on: www.dawsonpartnership.com.au