With the help of Nextt Management, the interim manager became the new permanent manager

Need a quick solution

When the Chief Financial Officer in a small company quits, there is no one to take over the job immediately. Although the CFO of the engineering company, Søren Jensen, resigned in good time, there was still too little time to find a permanent replacement. So when the HR manager, Pia Metzlaff, had great success with an interim manager in her previous job, she did not doubt that this was the right solution for the company.

"I knew from earlier that Nextt Management could solve the task. And they did that here, too, so well that we ended up with a new permanent CFO. Because the candidate we got from Nextt was selected so thoroughly that he turned out to be the right one for the job. That's why he was hired permanently when the interim period ended."

She admits that she initially went to a temporary employment agency to find a match for the vacant position of an CFO. But the agency failed. Among other things, they focused more on what tasks the temporary worker had to solve and less on finding the right person for the job - which she considers a general challenge in the industry. 

"What was important to me, in the situation we were in, was to find the person who was skilled, but who also had the experience and personality to fill the job from day one and fit into the organization."

Consequently, Pia Metzlaff would always recommend going up a step and contacting a company that specializes in recruiting interim managers, for example, Nextt Management, where she has received significant help - now twice.

"They make far more out of the recruitment process and practice close to real executive search. Christian Hvashøj was incredibly thorough in his selection and good at identifying and understanding our precise needs - on a completely different level than a temporary agency can. The fact that he is lightning fast is an extra plus because that is exactly what you need in the situation," she says.

When the need is urgent, it must go fast

Several solutions were considered when Søren Jensen stood with an empty chair in the CFO's office. Either they had to bring in a temporary person who could be there for 3-6 months, or they had to focus on getting an interim who could develop into a permanent solution.

"We went for the latter. Only to avoid the training and onboarding of a temporary and shortly after a permanent chief financial officer," as Pia Metzlaff points out.

When the engineering company did not seek a permanent solution from the start, it was primarily because the need was urgent, and you could not wait for a person with a more extended notice period.

At the same time, they were well aware that with an interim manager, they ran the risk of not getting the desired quality. When things need to go fast, the supply of candidates is limited, which the HR manager also sees another good reason to choose Nextt, as they have an extensive network to draw on.

Typically higher expectations

If someone holds back from going for the temporary solution, it may have something to do with the mistrust that generally clings to unemployed people. A distrust from which she does not see herself completely free.

"You will probably always think about why the person is unemployed. After all, very few talented managers choose to pull the plug and live the uncertain life, that is, to go the interim route," says Pia Metzlaff.

At the consulting engineering company Søren Jensen, there was also no reason to mistrust the temporary manager. At no time has Pia Metzlaff experienced having to compromise with his professional qualifications.

"In reality, it is expected that he can take over and fill the job from day one, while at the same time, there is not as much focus on onboarding and training when the boss is temporary. So, all in all, you probably have slightly higher expectations for an interim," she says.

But at Søren Jensen, the candidate lived up to all expectations. So, she has just one advice for others in similar situations: Call Christian!

Read more at Nextt Management here.