We follow a five-step process as follows:

1. Define job qualifications and requirements for the position -- the "Recruitment Profile."
2. Identify and recruit qualified candidates.
3. Evaluate prospective candidates.
4. Make recommendations, help in selection, employment negotiations and facilitate employment.
5. Establish evaluation criteria and follow-up.

A. Define Position Profile

We will meet with the client representatives individually as well as with staff and others to learn the clients's needs, focus and requirements such as experience, education and training as well as preferred management style and personal traits. In developing the recruitment profile, we will spend a considerable amount of time gathering information and ascertaining the unique challenges of the job and the general environment within which the position functions.

Once we have gained the necessary information, we will prepare a draft recruitment profile and review it with the client to arrive at a general agreement regarding the specifications for the position. The final profile will include information about the organization, major issues to be faced, the position and the selection criteria established.

B. Identify Qualified Candidates

We will first review our database to find those candidates whom we may already know and/or already have on file who may meet client specifications. Although the above process is valuable, we will rely most heavily on our own contacts in related fields and on our own experience. In other words, through "networking," we will conduct a professional search for the best-qualified candidates and invite them to apply for the position.

Based on our discussions with the client, we will place advertisements in appropriate professional journals, local/regional newspapers, and specialty publications to encourage applicants to apply. We acknowledge all resumes received and thoroughly screen all potential candidates.

C. Evaluate Prospective Candidates

Preliminary Screening and Progress Report... The criteria for the preliminary screening will be contained in the approved recruitment profile. They may include such items as education, technical knowledge, experience, accomplishments, management style, personal traits, etc. Screening of candidates against those criteria will be based on data contained in the resume and other data provided by the candidates and on our knowledge of the organizations in which they work. At this stage, each must meet the minimum qualifications specified in the Recruitment Profile.

We request that all candidates provide us, in writing, substantial information about their accomplishments and their management style and philosophy. This information is verified and, at the clients's option, may be further tested by having finalist respond to a supplemental questionnaire and/or complete management and leadership style inventories. We interpret these instruments for the client as well.

We will meet with the client representatives to provide a progress report on a number of semifinalist candidates. These individuals will be top prospects who clearly meet the client's specifications for the position. With guidance from the client, we will narrow the semifinalist candidate group on the basis of refined criteria. During this meeting we will determine client representative expectations relative to interview questions that we will write as well as the candidate rating and scoring processes which will be included in our final report. We will provide compensations recommendations at this meeting.

D. Selection and Employment

In-depth Screening and Final Report... At this point, we will interview those semifinalist candidates whom the client representatives have the greatest interest in. Proper "fit" is as important as technical ability. We assess both. In order to better assess candidates' management style and interpersonal characteristics, we personally interview each in his or her present work location. We will closely examine each candidate's experience, qualifications, achievements, management style and interpersonal skills in view of the selection criteria and our professional expertise in evaluating the quality of such qualifications, skills and achievements.

We conduct in-depth background checks on those individuals who continue to demonstrate their overall suitability for the position. Included are detailed and extensive reference checks which cover a minimum period of ten years. In conducting these, it is our practice to speak directly to individuals who are now or have been in positions to evaluate the candidate's job performance. We ask each candidate to provide us with a large number of references. We then network these references to other persons who know the candidate. In this way, we thoroughly evaluate each candidate. These references and evaluations are combined to provide frank and objective appraisals of the top candidates.

As part of our evaluation process we conduct criminal history, civil court records, driving record and credit checks and we verify undergraduate and graduate college degrees. At the client's option we can arrange for assessment centers and/or psychological (or similar) testing of the candidates. (These optional items will result in extra cost.)

We will then meet with the client to present a group of well-qualified finalist candidates for interviews. These final candidates will not be ranked because, at this point, they will all be qualified and it will then be a matter of chemistry between the candidates and the client that should produce the final selection decision.

Our final report will be presented in a meeting with the client representatives. This written report is a comprehensive document. It contains our candidate recommendations, details about the search, interview tips, interview questions, candidate evaluation forms and information about legal vs. illegal inquiries. The report also includes the candidate interview schedule as well as our recommendations relative to timing, sequencing, location, setting, format, and conduct of interviews. The report contains comprehensive information about each recommended candidate. This includes educational and experience information, an evaluation of the candidate's experience relative to the criteria established by the client, a summary of reference comments and a statement of accomplishments and management style prepared by the candidate. Present compensation is also provided for each recommended candidate.

We will provide information about trends in employment, employment contracts and agreements, relocation expenses, perquisites, appropriate roles for spouses, receptions, etc. We arrange schedules for top candidate interviews with the client and we will coordinate the entire process.

We will properly handle any and all media relations. Unless otherwise directed, it is our standard practice to tell all media that we are working on behalf of the client and that any public statement should come from the client directly. Under no conditions will we release information to the media unless specifically directed by the client to do so.

Finally, we will notify all unsuccessful candidates of the final decision reached.

SMC is an equal opportunity employer and recruiter, and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, religion, creed, color, sex, disability or national origin.

E. Establish Evaluation Criteria

Once the new employee has been on board for 30 days or so, we will conduct a session with the client and with the new employee to establish mutual performance criteria and goals for the position.

F. Follow-up

We will follow-up with the client and the new employee during the first year and assist in making any adjustments that may be necessary.

G. Reporting

We will keep the client informed, involved in decisions and involved in the search process at all times.

H. Schedule

The search process normally takes between sixty (60) and ninety (90) days to complete.