What is the difference between headhunting and recruiting?
Generally headhunting is for hard-to-find people, usually more senior, where there are less people available in the market due to specific requirements. Recruitment is for more general positions, technical managers, sales managers, reps, quality control people where there are more available in the market that might be looking for a change in career.
How do we Head-hunt?
So if you want me or anyone else to head-hunt for a position, lets talk about what we need to know and why.
Candidate Background.
- The candidate for your job is more than likely passive. Ie not actively scouring the job adverts daily.
- They are probably a high achiever or have very specific skill sets.
- Usually earning more than average.
- They might work in a specific business or for a competitor.
For a head-hunter to access this type of pool of candidates the first step is to build an “avatar” of this person.
What does the ideal candidate they look like?
- Previous experience, who have they worked for and what have they achieved. Ie typical companies / roles
- Career stage / previous and current companies
- Current responsibilities and size of responsibility.
- Location
- Personality traits / interests
- Current salary / package
The Headhunting Sales Pitch
Once we have built an avatar we need a sales pitch as a headhunter, be brutal “Why is this high performer going to join your company?” What is on offer?
- Company culture / direction and change. Why is this person needed?
- Responsibilities and budget.
- What is their target, 3 or 4 main things to do with a time frame
- How stable is the management structure. The less stable the higher the price tag usually.
- Speaking of which Salary, Bonus Package. Do not ask me to recruit a high performer on a shoestring. They won’t stay in the business for long. (brutal truth!)
- How urgent?
Trust the professional
- Maybe only 2 or 3 CV’s depending on the specialty.
- Work exclusively with 1 Head-hunter. This allows them to fully invest in the search. There is nothing worse than 2 or 3 agencies hunting for the same position.
- Have regular reviews with the head-hunter.
- When CV are received, interview them and feedback if the head-hunter is hitting the mark or missing the target. Modify the avatar.
- Ask the head-hunter to be involved in the interview.
- Invest time in the search.
- There is no magic wand.
If you would like to discuss any head-hunting requirement in the broadest or most specific terms, please contact me directly and in confidence.
Stuart Anderson
Managing Director
People and Process Solutions Ltd
contact@pandpsi.com
or CONTACT US
Please see our YouTube Channel for more recruiting tips.
