| Anyone who has ever made a career change or | | | | money yourself and most will not expect you to. |
| been in the job market has either contacted or | | | | Money changes hands only between the agency and |
| considered contacting a headhunter to help them in | | | | the hiring company. There was a time when the fee |
| their job search. The most important thing to | | | | was paid by the employee for low end jobs in |
| understand about headhunters is that there is a | | | | particular. This is rarely done now except by |
| broad spectrum of agencies offering a variety of | | | | temporary agencies which operate differently. |
| services. Some can be very useful, others not so | | | | If you are seeking career advice, you may have |
| much. | | | | better results contacting a career counselor whose |
| When you consider a particular HR agency or | | | | only job is to evaluate your skills and abilities. But |
| headhunter, the most helpful piece of information you | | | | when you are working with a headhunter always |
| can find out is how the agency gets paid. Who pays | | | | remember not to let anyone "sell" you on a job. |
| them and when may have a large impact on how | | | | Remember, if you are working with an agency that |
| hard they work for you. In most cases the company | | | | only gets paid when they fill the job, they will want |
| who does the hiring is the one that pays for the | | | | you to take the job whether it is right for you or |
| service, but there are different ways this is done. | | | | not. Let them work for you and arrange contacts |
| Some HR agencies who work to fill a company's job | | | | and interviews but make sure it is the right career |
| openings are paid regardless of whether a position | | | | change move for you. |
| they are attempting to fill is filled or not. Other | | | | Keep in touch with your recruiter should you decide |
| agencies are only paid when the position is filled. Most | | | | to work with one. Keep them on their toes and your |
| headhunters work one way or the other, a few do it | | | | name at the top of their list. |
| both ways depending on a client's preferences. | | | | Hiring agencies work primarily with people who are |
| If this is your first career change, understanding the | | | | interested in management and salaried positions. Part |
| ins and outs of headhunters can be confusing. To | | | | time and hourly employment is not their expertise. |
| begin with these companies go by a variety of | | | | That is better found through an agency that |
| names that include headhunter, HR firm, recruiter, | | | | specializes in temporary employment. |
| executive search firm, and the like. While they all | | | | When beginning a career change search using an HR |
| offer more or less the same end result, the way | | | | agency, take plenty of time to learn how the agency |
| each company approaches their clients and career | | | | operates. Make sure you understand what they will |
| counseling varies from firm to firm. | | | | do for you, how they are paid, and what you can |
| When trying to choose an agency it is helpful to | | | | expect. It is perfectly fine to work with more than |
| determine exactly how each agency works by asking | | | | one agency and may be the preferred route to take |
| as many questions as possible. The most important | | | | in your job search. Each agency has its own unique |
| thing to know is that you do not have to lay out any | | | | clients. |