Executive Recruiter, Dan Toussant, values family, giving back to the community he calls home, and especially, serving as a trusted HR partner and search consultant to manufacturers looking to hire key operations, sales, and finance leaders. His company, Dan Toussant & Associates is a leading Midwest-based manufacturing-executive search organization, a premier placement source for sales and operations and finance leaders in manager, executive and c-level roles.
Dan came up on the inside of the talent acquisition business, working in a variety of HR leadership roles in different industries, including manufacturing. Ultimately, he served a regional CPA firm as both HR Director and HR-consulting-group lead. He approaches executive search as if he were his client’s internal strategic HR partner. He realizes the value of a strategic search partner.
In his role as an external executive HR recruiter, Dan capitalizes on his natural ability to identify talent and find the right match for an organization quickly. His skills as a critical thinker and good listener also come into play.
Dan Toussant & Associates is a member of the Sanford Rose Associates® network of offices, a Top Ten executive search firm collaborative. Combined, the firm offers services nationally and globally, and Dan and his firm utilize this relationship for strategic administrative support, training, and leadership development.
One of the benefits to executive placement work for Dan is the opportunity to meet a variety of impact-professionals and to work closely with leaders of manufacturing companies.
Dan told us,
“We learn a lot about our clients, the urgency and time-line of the hire, the strategic importance it will play, the kind of employees that fit the client-company’s culture, and the unique skill-sets to the opportunities they offer.
Likewise, we seek to learn as much as we can about the candidates, their aspirations, goals and expertise, their accomplishments and plans, and seek to match them and their talents with organizations that will be able to grow from their contributions.
Our knowledge of the interviewing process gives us an advantage to ask the right questions, to learn the most about our prospective candidates as well as our clients. The critical thinking and listening skills that guide good interviews help us to do our job.”
One of the strengths of Dan Toussant’s business is the speed and thoroughness with which he can deliver the right person for a particular position.
“We pride ourselves on providing a client with two qualified candidates within 14 days, but the vetting process must be completed to our standards before we present them to fill a client opening.”
Here’s a quick look at the process that Dan uses when working with a client.
Profile the Position: We meet with the hiring-manager and leadership team to fully grasp the key must-have experiences and accomplishments, and identify other skill sets sought in the ideal candidate.
Access Databases: We then source relevant candidates. We utilize the best in recruitment software tools and executive and professional databases to identify and reach out to qualified passive candidates. We use social media platforms to promote positions and to access additional candidates.
Screen Candidates: We review on-line profiles and resumes; evaluate the candidate’s full social media footprint. Then we contact by phone or Skype qualified candidates to build interest, verify qualifications, and determine suitability for the position.
Progress Report to the Client: Each week we provide a progress report to the client to let them know the status of the process and to give them information from the market regarding the position and what we are hearing from qualified candidates.
Face-to-face Interviews: We coordinate interviews with the designated interviewer parties, most often conducted first by phone or Skype, and for final candidates, via the web or in person.
Offer Negotiation: When requested we can develop the offer letter details; work with the hiring manager to extend the job offer, negotiate acceptance, coordinate relocation, and establish a start date.
Follow-up to Hire: Our final step is to stay in contact with the new hire for the first year to support a productive and engaged new hire.
Dan adds value to his hiring-manager clients by helping them prepare for interviews. He co-authored with Katherine Burik three books on the hiring process, The Job Seeker Manifesto, and now uses that knowledge to help both hiring-manager clients and candidates make their decisions wisely.
Those three books are available on Amazon and on Katherine’s website, Interviewdoc.com. These books get to the heart of interviewing effectively, as well as preparing yourself for your next opportunity. They include information about how to develop a plan, how to utilize the resume to market the candidate, its application to the LinkedIn profile, and the specific manner in which to handle interview questions.
Dan refers candidates to Katherine Burik’s Interview Doctor who are seeking to make a change, and need assistance preparing themselves for a job search.
Dan actively participates as speaker and mentor in Toastmasters International. He speaks to associations, groups and organizations about how best to work with a recruiter as well as interviewing-skills topics from the books that he co-authored.
Dan lives in Canton, Ohio, the same town where he grew up. He enjoys being involved in working to make the community a better place. For many years, he and his wife, have hosted parties for children with incarcerated parents, as well as a local detention center with a high population of young males. He is involved with an organization that works with children’s mental health issues, and with a grassroots non-profit organization that serves the homeless and recently-released prisoners as they re-enter society.
Dan credits his wife Colleen, his faith and his family, three daughters, a growing group of grandchildren, a large extended family, and a network of church and golf friends with keeping everything balanced and in reasonable order. While manufacturing-executive search is a full-time business, what he receives from his extra-curricular endeavors keeps life in a good perspective.
Dan Toussant has spent over 30 years matching the right job with the perfect candidate to make both that business and the new employee successful. Over the years, he has had to adapt and guide his business with a sense of humor that has helped him “Soar to Success.”
It certainly was our pleasure to interview Dan Toussant. Listen to our entire podcast with him.
To find out more about Dan Toussant visit his website: Dan Toussant and Associates, also connect with him via LinkedIN, or email him at dan@ dantoussant.com.
