Working with Headhunters

On the face of it, being headhunted is an event over which you have no control. An approach comes straight out of nowhere - usually when you're least expecting it. But is there anything you can do to enhance your chances of being headhunted?

• Approaching the Headhunters
• Being Approached by a Headhunter
• How to Keep the Headhunters Interested
• Getting a Job Offer

Approaching the Headhunters

The essential things to learn about approaching headhunters is:

• They do almost all of their business on the telephone, so contact them this way, rather than writing to them or sending them emails.
• Connections are very important to headhunters. You must either know the consultant, or know someone who does if you want to focus their attention on what you are saying.
• Conciseness is the way to a headhunter's heart. By getting to the point quickly, you will avoid losing their interest.

If you've already been headhunted before, approaching a consultant is easy. Simply contact the consultant you dealt with previously and say you're ready to make a move, and talk them through what you're looking for.

If you've never been approached before, find someone among your network who has, and telephone the consultant using your contact's name as a reference. Quickly establish the connection: "I got your name from Joe Bloggs, you placed him in a position with Hello Communications five months ago". Once the connection has been made, swiftly move on to where you're coming from and what you're seeking to achieve - your target. Try to do this in three sentences at the most. Add another sentence to introduce any interesting areas of your skills or experience, then ask the consultant if they can help you. At this point, stop talking and listen to the answer.

However, the headhunter may not deal with the kind of jobs you're after, and if this is the case, ask if they know a headhunter who does, and then repeat the process with them.

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Being Approached by a Headhunter

Professional headhunters (or executive search consultants as they are more properly known) thrive on their connections in the business world, and so for them to approach you, means they must know someone who has recommended you to them.

This will usually be someone who has encountered you in the course of your work, such as:

• business colleagues, past and present (bosses, peers and subordinates)
• external contacts (clients, customers and suppliers)
• people who know you through your work on outside bodies such as professional institutions and trade associations

This means that if you want to increase your chances of being recommended, you will have to look on everyone that you deal with as a potential employment scout. This means that:

• You have to be completely reliable - you get back to people when you say you will and you complete your work to targets.
• You don't moan about work matters and you don't use your colleagues as a soundi...

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