Tips for finding the right headhunter

Whether you are a seasoned job hunter or this is the first time in twenty or thirty years that you have needed to change your job, finding the right headhunter is critical. As an ex headhunter I have often heard first hand the horror stories of what happens when headhunters get it wrong and make people's lives a misery.

Remember that headhunters can be your best friend or your worst enemy, so don't be rude to them, a good headhunter will do all the running around for you, organise interviews and in some instances negotiate a higher salary or hourly rate.

A good headhunter should:
a) Offer you a face to face interview to find out your suitability for the types of positions they recruit for. I would strongly recommend that you make time to go to this as it allows you to leave a lasting impression on the recruiter and they are more likely to remember you amongst the thousands of resumes they receive.

Hot Tip: Beware of headhunters, who do not want to meet you, I would ask the question what have they got to hide? From my own personal experience I have found that such headhunters add little value to the recruitment process and will simply send your resume to any and every employer that has registered with them in a mail shot approach, even your own employer due to their lack of care!

b) Help with your resume.
A good headhunter will try and help you sort out your resume. They often have templates that you can use and will help you think about your experience and how best to present it. Even if you have a stunning resume, the headhunter should have an intimate knowledge of the employer they are recruiting for and may be able to help you tailor your resume to the needs of the employer by focusing on those skills that are most relevant.

c) Feedback
Regardless of the outcome of your application you should always expect to receive feedback from a good headhunter, even if it is no more than a brief telephone call to inform you that you have been unsuccessful. Please be aware that employers don't always provide feedback or are unwilling to disclose exactly way you have been unsuccessful and it is not always the agency that are holding information back.

- Avoid headhunters that dig you for information, some common pitfalls to be aware of include.

- When you are invited in for an initial interview (or if it is conducted on the phone) a headhunter may try and glean information from you about other positions you have applied for. Let me explain their reasoning for this as it might make you think twice about what you tell them.

- This information is highly likely to be used as a lead for canvassing and obtaining other vacancies for the headhunter. Let me give you a real life example, as it is one thing that I refused to do. I spoke to a 63 year old IT expert "BOB" (an alias) who had been for an interview at an employer, a job which he had found through his own efforts. The employer had told him that he was the only candidate that they had considered and they were impressed with his resume. Subsequently he was contacted by a headhunter he had registered with and having been asked who else he had applied to innocently mentioned the name of the employer. One week later he was contacted by the employer to inform him that he had been unsuccessful in obtaining the job and that they had unexpectedly received a glut of resumes. "Bob" checked this out and discovered that the headhunter he had mentioned the position to had rung the company and sent ten resumes of other suitable people.

Never, never discuss the names of other positions you have applied for, the only person who will lose out is you!

A question to beware of:
Q: Just so that we don't send your CV to one of the companies you have already applied directly to, can you let me know who else you have made application to. (If they accidentally send your CV to an employer you have applied directly to, don't worry this can only serve to benefit you as the employer will receive it twice. What's more if you have already applied directly the employer may fast track your CV so that the agency can't earn a fee from it, so don't worry!) -Employers on your CV-

Beware of questions about your previous employers: usually headhunters also use this to obtain information from which to canvass from.

Questions to beware of:
1. Could you give me the name of your last boss for reference purposes.
Why do they need this information at this point in the process? Your answer should always be I will give you names of referees after I have been made an offer from an employer. Better still, when you go to Interview at the employer ask for the name and contact number of the person conducting the interview. If they make you an offer, you can then call them directly and pass on referee details, therefore bypassing the headhunter altogether.

The headhunter will hate you for not giving anything away, but you are just causing problems for yourself if you give them any details about your current boss or positions you have worked hard to find yourself. They also appreciate that you can earn them a lot of money if they find you the right position and it is very unlikely that they will make life hard for you, after all you are their most precious commodity!

- Does the headhunter have experience of recruiting in your specific industry?
Before agreeing to use a specific headhunter, check that they actually have experience of recuriting in your specific industry. Ask them for some case studies of their work or better still ask very specific questions to check out their knowledge base to verify that they do indeed understand your industry.

Remember these are professional sales people and they'll tell you whatever you want to know so be specific with your questions and if they fail to pass your test, don't use them. It's important to have confiednce that the person conducting your job search is knowledgeable about your industry and has the contacts and skills to find you the best possible job role.