Firms have been advised to avoid recruiting senior executives in the way that the EU has approached the search for the new role of president by talent assessment provider SHL.

SHL recommends a much more structured and objective approach to filling top jobs, or risk hiring the wrong person and affecting the success of the organisation.

David Leigh, chief executive of SHL, says: “When recruiting for senior executives, organisations should first look carefully at what the role entails, then outline the type of person, competencies and experience required, before objectively assessing a selection of candidates against these. In the case of the EU presidency, they don’t seem to have a clear idea of what they are looking for and, therefore, candidates are being suggested who may be entirely inappropriate.”