Besides being the Expert Career Strategist running a Global Career Advisory Service, I have also been a Headhunter for the past 18 years.
Over the last 2 decades, I’ve interviewed thousands of individuals and filled hundreds of senior positions around the region. Some of the regional leaders in large multinational companies were placed by me…(yes, you know who you are!).
However, after 18 years, I still see people unsure of how to handle their headhunters and end up making ‘rookie’ mistakes that could hurt their chances.
Sometimes, I wish I could tell them what they need to hear, but couldn’t…and that’s why today, I’m going to share with you 5 Inconvenient Truths about working with Headhunters.
1. If the Headhunter ghosts you, you’re not in the running
Ouch, but that’s the painful truth.
Many recruiters start out with a pulpable energy and enthusiasm as they reach out to you for the role. They make you feel all warm and fuzzy like you’re the perfect candidate for their client and ask you to send your CV over, or arrange for the first interview.
Then, crickets… not a word from them.
What happened? Did they forget about you?
The fact is, headhunters keep their best candidates warm. Very Warm. They hover around like an overprotective Mom on her child’s first day at playschool.
They check in regularly on their Prime Candidate’s interest level, clearing any doubts and removing any obstacles before any even appear.
So, if you’re being ghosted or ignored by the headhunter, chances are, you’re not quite their favourite, so don’t harass them with daily emails and phonecalls enquiring when the next meeting will take place.
Simply move on to the next big opportunity.
2. They may be friendly, but they don’t work for you.
“You’re not working hard enough! The other headhunter has already lined up 3 interviews for me! Where’s my Job?!”
That’s what an irate candidate once shouted at me.
Do remember that Headhunter is being paid by his client, not you, so his loyalty is clear.
Yes, he can help you in the process if you’re a strong candidate, but he’s not at your beck and call.
As such, if you’re not a prime candidate, you’re not entitled to having your CV done by him, or get daily updates, or being alerted to all other opportunities he or his team-mates are working on that could be relevant to you.
The Headhunter is probably under a lot of stress from his clients already, so be nice (see point 4).
3. Don’t ask them for Career Advice. Ask these questions instead
A good headhunter can give some career advice. However, his answers might be brief (he doesn’t have that much time) or worse still, tilted in his favour (he might couch it to fit his narrative for you and the job at hand).
Instead of asking for Career Advice, try finding out the following:
a. What’s the market salary for my role?
b. Which companies are actively hiring?
c. What skills are you being asked to look for that’s in short supply?
Headhunters have a lot of insights into these issues.
These types of answers will give you great data-points to better understand your market so you can formulate your job-search strategy better. They can also help you predict trends and highligh possible skill-gaps you need to bridge in order to land the next big role.
4. Don’t be Difficult with Them
We have a saying. “If the candidate is giving us problems at the start of the search, multiply the pain by 10x at the end.”
Some candidates refuse to share their salary range with us or demand unreasonably high salaries at the first meeting. Some even refuse to furnish us with references even as the offer is being prepared.
I once had a 35 year old CEO from China who claimed his salary was US$500K (which my client could afford and was willing to pay), but was reluctant to provide us with any evidence at all. He even got angry and accused us of doubting his integrity. We had to rescind his offer because of this ‘red flag’.
Remember that Headhunters are just humans doing their jobs…be nice and be remembered well. Be nasty and also be remembered.
5. They really want you to Win
No, they’re not out to get you. You’re not just a ‘spot filler’ or a ‘reference candidate’ (most of the time, at least).
Everytime a Headhunter reaches out to a new prospective candidate, he is wishing really hard that he/she is the perfect one which the client would fall in love with on the spot.
So befriend them, be helpful to them, and remember to stay in touch. They are critical to your Career Strategy in the long run.