Our CEO, James Baker speaks on the executive search and recruitment industry and the Keynote Search difference.
In a market saturated by placement agencies that are focused on completing a hiring transaction, Keynote Search answers the question organizations are really asking: How do we find, fit, retain and achieve the peak performance of exceptional talent? Executive Search and Recruitment alone solves one problem – finding people. It doesn’t solve the bigger challenges of productivity, engagement and performance. That is why we not only find the best candidates but we help them succeed and reach their peak performance with post-placement support that includes executive coaching and onboarding.
Keynote Search was built to address the weaknesses in traditional executive search and recruitment. Co-Founders James and Donna Baker relocated to Ottawa from London, England as part of a team to launch a global recruitment business in Ottawa. After achieving incredible success and spending more than a decade in the industry, they viewed the industry as broken. They were often at odds with the metric driven, non-human approach to the business. Recruitment and the people involved had become commoditized. This simply did not work for the Bakers, and thus Keynote Search was born!
They believe the emphasis should be on the people and this shared ideology is central to how Keynote Search came to be. We are dedicated to humanizing recruitment while enhancing our productivity and effectiveness with technology in order to focus on helping organizations succeed.
Keynote provides a holistic solution to talent acquisition and performance with the support mechanism required to accelerate integration, results, development, and retention.
We have re-engineered recruitment with the best processes around post placement support, executive coaching, team dynamics, engagement and development.
Keynote Search provides executive search solutions for small, mid-sized and large companies as well as non-profit organizations and crown corporations.
We are proud to have celebrated our 5 year anniversary in September 2020! Learn more about our executive search and recruitment solutions.
The Keynote Search difference
At Keynote Search we expand our services beyond common recruiting methodologies. We combine the very best people in the recruitment business with cutting-edge technology, and enhanced screening techniques to find the right talent for your business. As part of our search we undertake extensive research to find top quality candidates, even those that may not be currently seeking new opportunities, and strategically market the company and opportunity to them. We utilize advanced technology to enhance the value of our human connections.
We take a modern, data-driven approach to finding and recruiting top talent compared to most in our industry. By undertaking an organizational analysis of our clients, conducting market research and multiple stakeholder consultations, we are able to thoroughly understand your business and cultivate compelling marketing strategies to reach qualified candidates. We leverage our expertise to not only market your role in a highly-personalized and targeted fashion, but also utilize effective and appropriate channels to attract qualified candidates.
We have created a collaborative and proprietary Post-Placement Integration Program to support the successful long-term performance of new executives.
We create a customized approach for each executive post-placement to develop, engage and optimize their performance. The objective of our coaching program is for executives to acquire, hone and maintain effective leadership skills and behaviours. This culminates in the development and execution of an action plan that is designed to assist the individual in maximizing their productivity and effectiveness.
We have developed a comprehensive onboarding process, delivered by industry experts, that focuses on successful integration and achieving optimal performance. This process is guided by continuous feedback from both the leadership team and the new executive to ensure that expectation alignment and communication serve as the foundation for the company’s success.
Our work is not done once a successful candidate is chosen. We support all of our executive placements with industry leading practices for quicker integration, accelerated results and meaningful long-term contributions. A structured process with a focus on providing objective support and advice for the successful integration of your new executive.
Donna Baker leads our executive search practice and possesses over 15 years of experience in executive search and recruitment, with proven success with C-Suite roles. She has won numerous awards including a Forty Under 40 award and receiving Businesswoman of the Year in 2018 from the Women’s Business Network. Learn more about Donna and her career.
Our executive search services are executed by our hand-picked and experienced team of industry experts, using industry leading techniques and process. View our team member bios and learn more about their individual experience, roles, and career success.
View the latest news from Keynote and our team.
View our latest executive search opportunities.
We are proud to work with some exceptional companies in a wide variety of industries.
