How to find the best executive headhunter
Since there is no single or easy answer to finding a headhunter, this article offers a few tips on what to look for. It explains which qualities you should look for when you hire a headhunter.
Also, as cut-throat as it seems, do not be afraid to fire a hired headhunter and find new ones if they are not working out. Remember that your time is valuable, and the more they send unsuitable candidates to you, the more of your time is wasted.
A headhunter that is a good sales person
The most common advice you hear about finding a headhunter is that you should ask around. You are told to ask your friends, colleagues, other businesses and even people on Facebook. It is good advice because it often throws up the types of headhunters that are good at selling themselves. They are the sort of people who are good at networking and are very persuasive, and those are the sorts of qualities you want in a headhunter if you want them to attract the best talent. As odd as it sounds, if they make a good impression on you and persuade you to hire them, then they are probably the right ones for the job.
Doing more than just taking down requirement lists
One of the biggest selling points that Eagle headhunters offer is that they work in tandem with companies to ensure they only present the best possible candidates for a job. This not only means taking down requirements for a role, but also understanding the role, and how the role affects the business as a whole. A better understanding of the position being offered will help a headhunter find suitable candidates for the job.
Steer clear from the ones that rank first on Google
The company that rides the highest on the Google search engine results is not the best at its job. This has been proven time and time again by numerous recruitment and resume services. If they are riding high on Google, it just means they are good at search engine optimisation. You can use Google to do your preliminary searches and to pull a few phone numbers, but you are looking for a company that is good at persuading people and not one that is good at search engine manipulation.
A company that doesn’t rely on qualification
When a headhunting company sells to you, it should have numerous selling points that promote their service and their staff. If your headhunter, or their website, seems to overly fixate on their qualifications, then this may be a warning sign. Most likely, the company is new and/or has very young headhunters that are fresh out of university. The most successful headhunters will sell themselves based on their past experience, their contacts, and the strength of their services.
Conclusion – Experiment and test
As mentioned in the introduction, you should fire your headhunting company if they are not producing suitable candidates. It seems like cut-throat advice, but the truth is that testing out headhunters is probably the best way to figure out which are the good ones and which are the bad. Sadly, when you test out different companies, it often means cutting loose the poor performing ones so that you may find the best in the business. If you are prepared to experiment with different companies, you will eventually find the right headhunting company for you.