| Why use a headhunter? Headhunters are used for | | | | communication with clients and candidates, leaving |
| varied reasons, including and most especially for | | | | everyone in the dark as to what work they have |
| people looking for middle management and executive | | | | done at all. Some are not as prudent in their searches |
| positions within their chosen industry. Headhunters | | | | and have breached confidentiality, causing potential |
| specialize in a broad search that provides candidates | | | | candidates to lose their current positions as their |
| that are both related and directly related to the job | | | | employers have been tipped off as to their job |
| positions they are researching. However, headhunters | | | | search activities. In fact, the worst type of |
| or contingency executive recruiters are not as widely | | | | headhunter will forward any and every resume to |
| regarded, respected or considered to be as reputable | | | | their clients with total disregard to whether or not |
| as retainment executive recruiters. | | | | the candidate is suitable or not. This wastes time, |
| Generally speaking companies such as consultants and | | | | money and sometimes contracts with clients. |
| staffing agencies use headhunters to find people for | | | | The best approach with headhunters has been for |
| contract or full-time/permanent jobs. Other larger | | | | candidates to wait for headhunters to contact them |
| companies and corporations do use them on | | | | because this clearly shows they are interested in |
| occasion, but they are more geared to general | | | | those candidates for specific positions. However, this |
| staffing. | | | | is not fool proof and client and candidates can find |
| Headhunters are useful when looking for more | | | | that a random list of candidates are contacted |
| generalized positions, including general management, | | | | When using a headhunter it is important to find |
| but their focus is helping their client to find potential | | | | someone that can be trusted before engaging them |
| candidates that the client themselves were unable to | | | | in a contract. This is best done by finding another |
| find despite all their efforts: advertising online and in | | | | firm that has used their services before and getting a |
| the print media. They tend to be less interested in | | | | recommendation. Also, it is critical for a company to |
| the needs of the candidate and therefore their | | | | insist that they are not sent every resume in sight |
| search is based on limited criterion such as basic job | | | | and that they are kept totally informed of the work |
| experience matches, limited skill sets and some or no | | | | the headhunter is doing. |
| qualifications. They will follow the same procedures in | | | | The most important things to keep in mind when |
| some ways as a retainment executive recruiter by | | | | using a headhunter are: |
| compiling candidate lists, conducting initial interviews | | | | - Quality work for a reasonable price |
| with candidates and then forwarding the best | | | | - Good communication policies |
| resumes to their clients. However, there is a high risk | | | | - References and recommendations from other |
| that the candidates being sent to clients may not be | | | | companies that have used their services |
| totally suited for the positions in question. | | | | - An ability to do a proper candidate search for |
| Unfortunately, headhunters vary in ethics, ability and | | | | people who are suited to a job position and not just |
| the willingness to do a proper job. This is one of the | | | | anyone and any resume |
| reasons that they have received such bad press. | | | | In conclusion, using a headhunter can be extremely |
| There have been cases where candidates have | | | | beneficial for middle management and executive |
| worked with headhunters and ended up not getting a | | | | positive filling as long as the headhunter is reputable. |
| position at all. Some of them have been known to | | | | Headhunting is so varied in its ethics and business |
| collect resumes as well as retention fees from | | | | practices that it is very easy to get caught by a |
| candidates when most reputable recruiters charge a | | | | company that charges large fees for little or poor |
| candidate nothing and only charge their clients. Some | | | | work. |
| have terrible recruitment policies, including a lack of | | | | |