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"The most expensive part of a search
is the empty seat."
CHARLES BAMFORD Founder and Managing Partner, Rockwood Energy Search
It's not easy to hire top performers in the energy industry. There is a limited supply of experienced people, especially at the senior professional to SVP level, where base salaries are $100,000 to $250,000.
But you can't afford to have key positions go unfilled while you explore the possibilities. An empty seat means lost business opportunities. An unproductive search process is a time sink for your executives and HR staff.
You can't afford to hire the wrong person, either. Not when it can cost you 150% of the position's base salary - and major opportunity costs, as well.
Hiring Top Performers Is Harder Than Ever
Despite fluctuations in the health of the US and global economies, the energy business continues to thrive and staffing requirements grow. Firms in all parts of the industry find that landing top candidates is more difficult every day. This is particularly true at the senior professional to the SVP level, where base salaries are in the $100K to $250K range.
One main reason: a limited supply of experienced people. After Enron collapsed in 2001, the industry shrank, people left the business, and others did not enter. For a number of reasons, demand for experienced talent is expected to exceed supply for some time to come.
The key human resources issue is how to solve the problem of recruiting from a limited supply of experienced people.
We Have a Solution
Rockwood Energy Search has been solving this problem since 1986 with an approach that is both cost-effective and timely. Our secret?
Our experience and industry knowledge applied to your business objectives.
Rockwood has specialized in the energy business since 1986, so we know the business and we know
the jobs.
Rockwood understands the skills required for key positions and knows how and where to source top candidates.
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How we add value to the search process up and down the organization
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Search
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Issues
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Rockwood Value Added
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Chief Risk Officer for electric utility
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New position created because CEO wanted more risk-aware culture
Internal executives not well-informed on risk issues
CEO wanted position to be a thought leader within the firm on quantitative issues
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Initial presentation was made on types of risk organizations and risk people in energy to inform and to create comfort level for execs who would interview candidates.
Rockwood identified a candidate who had both a PhD in Finance and well-developed leadership skills.
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Director, Quantitative Research & Valuation
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New position reporting to a new senior manager
Very diverse and demanding audience who didn’t agree on the job criteria
Compensation constrained because of corporate salary structure
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Rockwood partnered with senior hiring manager to develop structured interviewing process with standard criteria.
Found diverse candidate panel at various compensation levels so that interviewers were able to effectively balance compensation limitations with desired candidate experience.
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Senior Transmission/LoadFlow Analyst at hedge fund
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Firm needed a candidate with Financial Transmission Rights(FTR's) experience in the new Midwestern Independent System Operator (MISO) region
Firm wanted to be well-positioned in a dramatically changing physical marketplace
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Conducted in-depth search of all MISO knowledgeable people.
Found candidate who combined technical skills to carry out network analysis, but who also had the commercial understanding to talk to traders.
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