Partner Spotlight: An interview with Elise Andström, Managing Partner, Boyden Sweden

This interview with Elise Andström is the second in a series from #BoydenSweden exploring strengths, challenges, and passions as Managing Partner at Boyden Sweden.

How has the recruitment process changed since you started?

Elise: The biggest changes to the recruitment process, of course, is the impact of the Internet and social media. In 1996, I started working in executive search at the same time as the internet’s early development. As a consultant and researcher, you had to work much more with the sourcing of candidates through contacts.

The evolution of the Internet, LinkedIn, and other search process tools have significantly speeded up the search process especially for sourcing diverse candidates. Today, the process is much shorter, for example, it takes 4-weeks to present a final short-list of candidates to a client compared to 8-weeks.

What is also an interesting change amongst clients today is looking for candidates from different industries. We see more and more clients who actually dare to hire candidates from other business areas.

What do you consider is the key to a successful recruitment process?

Elise: Understanding the culture and its challenges that the client will face in combination with market knowledge. But also dare to challenge your clients to think in other paths, outside the traditional boxes.

What topics are you most passionate about?

Elise: I am passionate about finding diverse candidates that might not be known in a particular industry or sector and tend to live under the radar. I strongly believe finding diverse candidates contribute to the development of an organization, especially placing women in Board and C-suite level positions and other operative positions.