Professional Head Hunter?

[ha98ed14]

Does anyone know how using a professional head hunter works? Does the job seeker pay them or the employer looking? As a potential employee, how do you get in touch with a head hunter and how do you know which ones are reputable and which ones are flakes?

I have been looking for a job pretty consistently since October. I have a master's degree from an ivy league school and 5 years experience in my field. We are open to leaving SoCal, so geography is not necessarily a barrier.

I also have a BFF who is currently employed and they pay her so little for the metro area she works in (NYC), it is REDICULOUS. She also has her master's. We were talking and wondering how people find head hunters, job coaches or other people who help you market yourself or reinvent yourself for a new field/ job change/ comeback after being a SAHM.

Any ideas? TIA!

[firstbaby]

The hiring company pays the headhunter a fee on your first year's base salary - anywhere between 20 to 25%. So, it is expensive for the company, but if it helps them access hard to find talent, they are willing to do it.

Any headhunter that asks the job seeker to pay any money is not reputable and you should run the other way.

[Puddy73]

The hiring company pays the headhunter a fee on your first year's base salary - anywhere between 20 to 25%. So, it is expensive for the company, but if it helps them access hard to find talent, they are willing to do it.

Any headhunter that asks the job seeker to pay any money is not reputable and you should run the other way.

Ditto. In some industries, using a headhunter is almost essential. DH was unemployed and diligently searching for a job for 8 months. He finally contacted a headhunter, had three interviews within weeks and ultimately landed a great job. It can't hurt to contact a few. Good luck!

[jenmcadams]

It definitely depends on your field, but headhunters can definitely help. I have an MBA from a top school and worked in a relatively sought-after field and I still get headhunter calls 3-6 times per year (and haven't worked full-time for over five years). I always return their calls, take down their info and try to help them find a candidate if I know someone b/c you never know when you're going to need help finding a job (and in my case help my DH find a job if he loses his). Without knowing more about your field, I can't tell you if a headhunter would be easy to find or helpful. Most headhunters work for a % of your first years salary, a flat fee or a retainer from the hiring company. You definitely shouldn't have to pay any of them. The best way to find them is to network, network, network. If you've been looking since October, you're probably already doing this, but try to grab coffee/have lunch with as many people as you can find in your chose field. Ask them about how hiring works, if they know of any good headhunters in your field, etc. You might also check with your career office at the ivy where you got your masters. I know my MBA program's career office has several full-time people who help alumni with career searches and career changes. You should also take advantage of your alumni databases from undergrad and grad school -- I know I've been surprised how many old friends are now executive recruiters. The key is to find a recruiter/headhunter that specializes in what you want to do -- some industries are more prone to using professional recruiters than others.

As for your other question, about finding a coach. I have several friends who are professional coaches and they all have had clients who are trying to figure out whether to make career changes, etc. I think coaches can be helpful, but it seems like everyone and their brother is trying to be a professional or life coach these days, so if you decide to employ the services of a coach, make sure they're competent and you get good references. If they've gone through training and have been certified by someone like CTI all the better. I have one friend who is an amazing coach who is just finishing her certification and she's amazing -- Psychology Undergrad from Michigan, Harvard Business School, McKinsey, tons of great executive experience and now she's trying to build her coaching business (she has a pretty specific niche) so she has a more flexible career with her young children. But, on the other hand I haven't been as impressed with some other "coaches" that I've met.

HTH

Jen

[ThreeofUs]

Are you sure you're talking about a headhunter? This is a person who works for companies, and is paid by companies, to find good candidates for specific positions - usually senior positions. It would be a gross breach of professional ethics for such a person to accept money from you as well. Headhunters usually attend career and career development conferences, but are usually found best by networking.

There are consultants out there who will help you try to find a job, usually for an upfront fee of a couple to a few thousand dollars with maybe a bonus built in if you are hired. These people, however, only guarantee that they will get you interviews with decision-makers - they most emphatically cannot guarantee you to be on the short list for hiring, much less a hire.

The best advice is to use any contacts you can to network, and do it like it's your job (40 hours a week of dedicated effort). This includes everyone you and DH know, career boards, and as PP's have noted, your colleges' and local colleges' career offices, friendly professors, etc. Go on as many interviews as you can just to talk to people and make contact, but be sure you also make a list of regional leaders in your field and ask for informational interviews (most will take the time to see you).

[maestramommy]

Dh is currently in a job search and he is going through a couple of headhunters. They contract for the companies that are looking for people. Dh sent his resume to the headhunters, had a couple of conversations with them, and the headhunters take it from there. They ask where you are open to going, what your priorities are if you want to relocate, maybe what type of company you want to work for. The headhunter looks at the companies he has on his roster and send the resume to places that seem like a good fit. If they are interested in talking to you, a phone interview is set up.

It's the headhunter that makes it possible for you to meet companies that are actually looking for workers, which makes it slightly better than just mailing our your resume to companies yourself. They obviously have a stake in getting you hired since they get paid a comission by the company if you accept an offer.

This is in the engineering field.

[ha98ed14]

Thanks for all the good advice. I know I have to work the networking harder. I moved here from the east coast when DH and I got married and I have not worked since, so since I never worked in CA, I don't know anyone in my field. I actually have done a good number of informational interviews and gotten good feedback about my experience, etc. I even had several companies express interest in hiring me for contract work, which would be prefect with my current child care arrangement. But for some reason, the actual work never seems to materialize. I think it is the recession. These are consulting firms to cities and development companies, so if they aren't building, we aren't consulting.

For those of you who used a head hunter or know one, what is the best way to make contact with them? The yellow pages and an internet search turn up some leads, but I am not sure if these are reputable people/ companies? Is there a professional association or something?

[kozachka]

I've recently done some research on the subject for a client. Here a few names of the most reputable headhunters in no particular order: Spencer Stuart, Korn/Ferry International, Heidrick & Struggles, Egon Zehnder Int, Neumann International. These companies have websites where you can review posted opportunities as well as sometimes upload your resume and find contact information for individual recruiters listed by specialization. In my part of the world headhunters charge 33% of annual compensation subject to a minimum threshold of $40K-$70K so they are reserved for senior positions.

There are also all sort of recruiter associations, international, national, state and local, such as International Association of Corporate and Professional Recruiters (IACPR) and Bay Area Recruiters' Association (BARA) as well as occasionally by specialty (National Insurance Recruiters Association or NIRA).

Last but not least I've been getting fair amount of contacts through LinkedIn. You have to post your experience there first and it might take some time, in my case a few months, and a cache past employer or/and school.