How To Get Headhunted
Manage your public profile
Attend conferences and tradeshows relevant to your industry or area of expertise. Listings in the associated publications (trade show catalogues, directories) are a great way to gain publicity. Many events publish the biographies, and recruiters screen these announcements.
Appear in the media many trade magazines and websites rely on input from trade practitioners and will gladly publish well-written articles relevant to the target group. Develop relationships with editors and PR agencies. Make it easy for them to contact you if they need a quote. Make sure that a new job or promotion is mentioned in the press.
List your bio on your company’s website if possible. It is a great way to get noticed. Search firms routinely browse websites to locate candidates. Make certain that you can be found if people are looking for you. Consider networking in peripheral industries; many skills are portable between related industries.
Be on the lookout for options to network within your own company. Good reputations spread widely and can lead to opportunities in associated companies or overseas subsidiaries.
Be prepared
Depending on the stage in your career, two CV's can be handy. The short CV should be no longer than two pages, and be in counter chronological order (current job first). Be precise and focus on core events and metrics. Avoid adjectives in general and superlatives in particular.
The second CV should expand upon the first. It should capture additional, relevant details. Having an expanded Cv can greatly help a recruiter focus on important details and provide a greater comfort level.
If you are very uncomfortable providing a resume to a unknown recruiter, offer a biography, Keep headhunter’s you already know updated about what kind of position you would consider and ascertain if they have your contact information and up-to-date resume.
Return calls from headhunters promptly. Being precise, accessible and providing a quick turn-around will greatly improve your chances of being contacted again. If a current search is not in line with your background, headhunters greatly appreciate it if a prospect provides information about the industry which enables the recruiters to fine tune their research.
Referrals are greatly appreciated if the contact is in line with the search. Do not make referrals which could be irrelevant to the search just to please the recruiter. You are not doing him or her a favour.
The process
Headhunters are paid to find candidates who match a very specific profile
In most cases, the headhunters will develop a specification which outlines the position, describe short and midterm objectives and articulate the ideal candidate profile. The recruiter will turn to his/her existing network but also generate additional research.
A good headhunter will canvas the complete industry segment and identify the top executives. In addition, he/she will also determine if the current success of one company can be traced to the current incumbent or if a predecessor played a significant role. The recruiter will pre-qualify you by asking some key questions, including your current compensation level.
If an initial fit has been established, he will ask you for a resume and also email you the position spec. After reviewing it you will be interviewed in detail, typically over the phone. Subsequently a personal meeting with the headhunter will be arranged. Based on these interviews the headhunter will prepare a candidate review and submit it to the client.
Typically clients are being presented with 3 -6 candidates. Never assume that you are the only candidate or a shoe-in. You will then be interviewed by the client. Typically there are at least two rounds. A headhunter will also check references and use his own network to verify first impressions. In addition, you will be asked for some private information such as the years of your graduation so the headhunter can verify your educational credentials.
The headhunter will provide feedback and assist in the negotiations. Frequently, candidates and employers have different interests, but a headhunter acts as a sounding board and can help to bridge different perspectives. Headhunters can have substantial influence, but the final word lies always with the client.
After you have been hired, the recruiter will periodically check in. Recruiters want their placements to work out well and are always willing to be a sounding board if problems arise.
