CONDUCTING YOUR CONFIDENTIAL BOARD-LEVEL SEARCH

Due to the priority usually involved and high-level nature of a boardroom executive search, clients seeking this service recognize that a retained arrangement is usually the best option for a fully engaged search which offers the highest probability of securing not only a qualified candidate, but more than that, securing the best candidate available. For this reason, we have structured arrangments for CEO's, CFO's, COO's, etc, as retained searches. To discuss this or other arrangements which may be personally suitable, please contact us.

I. MEET AND COME TO TERMS WITH HIRING AUTHORITY.

Usually before our initial meeting with the hiring authority, they have received a copy of our search agreement. Furthermore, we typically have been furnished significant information about the company including its shareholders, officers, board members, current and historical balance sheet and financials, 3-5 year business plans, market share, major customers, vendors, and competitors. During our initial visit and meeting with the hiring authority, we discuss the current overview of the business in general financial and operating terms, the position to be filled including why it is open and its projected short-term and long-term impact on the overall business. We learn about the management and operating style of the hiring authority and reporting expectations of the "boss" and the board. We review our search process spelled out in our search agreement including what is expected of the client and us during the search, especially the degree of search and candidate confidentiality required, estimated search event timetables, our search fee and out of pocket expenses, payment terms and our "guarantee". Next, any remaining questions related to the search assignment are answered, and hopefully a verbal agreement is reached for us to conduct the search.

We will send the client a written confirming search agreement signed by us for the hiring authority's signature with our first retainer invoice. We will then sign any required non-disclosure agreement as soon as possible. Afterwards, we can hopefully tour the facility where the new hire(s) will be based for a better sense of the organizational culture and work environment.

II. FINE TUNE POSITION SPECS.

We will meet the hiring authority and the interview team (usually the client's managing partners and the board of directors if it's a President & CEO search) with our laundry list of questions to firm up the desired final position specifications. The position description includes qualifications, duties, responsibilities, goals and objectives, salary range and bonus potential and achievement criteria, benefits and relocation policy. We also like to meet the key direct reports and get a feel for their perspective on the position and chemistry and review their role, if any, in the hiring process.

We will then incorporate what we learn from these meetings and send the hiring authority a draft of the position specifications to review with the board and the interview team and return to us with any final position changes. It is critical to the success of the search that all the hiring decision-makers agree with the final position description before the search gets underway. This insures the hiring team will be on the same page and send the right message to referred candidates being interviewed. The final position description will be shown to screened candidates referred for interview.

III. "DUE-DILIGENCE" SEARCH AND RECRUITMENT PROCEDURES

Once authorized to initiate a search, we will compile a list of target companies and executives therein from various sources, representing potential candidates and sources of candidates. This target list will include any suggestions from the client hiring authority as well as names from our own considerable database of candidates and contacts. We will also assemble an off-limits list of individuals and companies that might include former employees and current joint venture partners, vendors, customers and business prospects. We will post an edited camouflaged position description on our website without reference to your company by name. Construction Talent Partners will consider all candidates, regardless of sex, age, race, creed or place of origin, solely on the basis of their respective qualifications.

A- Once candidates have been sufficiently screened to our satisfaction, we will meet those who seem most qualified. Ideally, we would like to present a minimum of 3-4 highly qualified finalist candidates for the hiring team to interview. We furnish comprehensive "due diligence" information packages about each recommended candidate. These include a résumé, a face to face meeting report, a completed candidate position questionnaire, photocopies of degree(s) and certifications, at least one written professional reference checked by us with the candidate's permission, and other helpful candidate background material and exhibits furnished by each individual. (E.g. copies of employer annual reports, EBIT/EBIDTA results, brochures, organization charts, product literature, operating metrics, past performance appraisals, technical product information, letters of commendation from former superiors, current job description, etc.).

B- Before any of our referred candidates interview with the hiring authority and interview team, they will have signed the client's required non-disclosure agreement. Each recommended candidate will have seen detailed employer information including the business overview and 3-5 year strategic plans, past and current financial and operating performance data, backgrounds of shareholders, officers, direct reports and board members and a detailed position description with compensation, benefits and relocation details.

C- In addition to verifying any candidate degree(s), we will provide the interview team with succinct, written confidential reference audits submitted in narrative form almost verbatim, and include for convenience, the phone numbers of each referred candidate's professional references.

We routinely secure the cooperation of any reference we contact regarding a possible future phone call from the hiring authority to this individual, in complete confidence, to answer any questions about any candidate referred by us.

To protect candidate confidentiality, Construction Talent Partners guarantees each candidate that no unauthorized reference checking on any of our candidates by anyone from the client organization will occur. As clients well know, candidate confidentiality must be maintained even after a candidate has been eliminated from consideration.

D- Before the client's hiring team meets and interviews any Construction Talent Partners candidates, we ask that each interviewer examine and review each individual detailed candidate information package provided in advance of candidate interviews. Such preparation makes for a more productive interview, while conveying a positive impression on each candidate and saves valuable time. Most, if not all, of our candidates are not out looking for a "job" and might have to be persuaded to consider leaving their current employer, and resist a tempting counter offer to join our client.

E- We are available to provide candidate feedback after the hiring team interviews referred candidates, usually within 24-48 hours afterwards. Specific candidate interview feedback from the client's interview team is appreciated as soon as conveniently possible. This helps us do a better job of clearing up any candidate/client concerns that might exist and improve our screening of any future candidate referrals.

F- We will notify each rejected applicant or candidate of their having been eliminated from further consideration, in a professional and considerate manner. Any search applicant who should contact the client hiring authority directly about the search position can be referred to us for screening and courteous disposition.

G- Any candidate job offer should be reviewed with us before it is verbally extended to the candidate. Before extending a job offer, the hiring authority might want to speak with a key reference submitted by the candidate or get the candidate's permission to speak with their current boss. We typically provide the client with a rough draft offer letter, which we feel our candidate will accept, for fine-tuning by the hiring authority. We strongly believe in constructing offers with no surprises for either client or candidate. A verbal offer from the hiring authority should be promptly followed up with a written offer. The candidate should be able to accept by signing the offer and return it to the client. To avoid any possible problems, the candidate should be cautioned not give notice to his or her current employer after acceptance of the client's offer, until he or she has taken a routine pre-employment physical including drug testing.

H- It is a standard rule of thumb to allow about 30 days from the taking of the assignment for us to identify and pre-screen qualified candidates presuming we have received the approved, final, written position description from the hiring authority. We are usually in a position to refer qualified candidates over the second 30-45 day period. A good faith, estimated assignment completion date is approximately 12 weeks from the date the search contract has been signed, if not sooner. This presumes that the client interview team is available to interview candidates within a reasonable amount of time after reviewing our submitted candidates' information packages.

I- Construction Talent Partners agrees to continue working on any assignment, if it becomes necessary, for a consecutive 12 month period starting from the date we are retained, provided our search fees and out-of-pocket expenses have been paid according to our mutually agreed upon payment schedule.

As with all of our search assignments, Construction Talent Partners makes no guarantee of filling any assignment; we do promise to use our best efforts, however, to complete it to the client's satisfaction, on or before our estimated completion date.

IV. RETAINER FEES, EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS AND PAYMENT TERMS

1- Standard Search Fees. Our standard search fee for conducting each search assignment is a flat fee based on a percentage of a mutually agreeable, attainable estimated total annual compensation figure consisting of an estimated salary number and a projected annual bonus number. In addition, we are reimbursed for our out-of-pocket expenses incurred while conducting this search including long distance telephone calls, faxes, candidate/recruiter travel, lodging and meals, contract research, source letters, word processing, postage, UPS and photocopying. We do not markup our out-of-pocket expense invoices, which are meticulously detailed.

2- Standard Terms of Payment. Our total retained search fee for conducting each search assignment is payable in three (3) retainer installments of 1/3 each; The first retainer fee would be due and payable at the start of this assignment; The second retainer fee is typically billed 30 days later, and be due and payable within 10 days of receipt; the final retainer fee is usually billed 60 days later, be due and payable within 10 days of receipt. All payments are non-refundable.

V. FALL-OUT HIRE

In the event that a client hires a second submitted candidate due to loss of the original, there will be a client charge of 10% of said individual's first year estimated total compensation.

VI.GUARANTEE AND CANCELLATION POLICY

Construction Talent Partners will guarantee its hired candidate for a period of 60 days from starting date. If for any reason, our candidate resigns or is terminated during this period, Construction Talent Partners promises its best efforts for up to 12 consecutive months, if needed, to replace our candidate at no additional search fee to our client. The only charges would be for additional out-of-pocket expenses in connection with this search.

If any search becomes canceled through no fault of ours after this agreement has been signed by the client's authorized representative and a representative of ours, any Construction Talent Partners invoices already billed for such a search would be due and payable, in addition to any of our outstanding out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with our conducting such an assignment.

If you have any questions about this search agreement, or any future suggestions or concerns related to our handling of this search assignment, please call at your earliest convenience.

Please know that in all of our client dealings, Construction Talent Partners intends to earn your trust and we value mutually beneficial, long-term client relationships. We look forward to working closely with you and successfully completing your search in a timely manner.