When to Hire a Headhunter?

Answer 1

Headhunters, also commonly called recruiters, help corporations find executives to fill open positions. Headhunters match companies with qualified candidates, conducting some of the vetting process so that a company knows it is only interviewing the top candidates. While candidates can send a resume to a headhunter, corporations hire them to search for a new hire.

Jobs That Require a Headhunter

Not all jobs need to go through a headhunter. If you are a company seeking to fill a mid-level job you'll probably never come into contact with a recruiter. Headhunters are typically reserved for filling very important positions, such as CEO or CFO. Only when you need a very specific skill set which narrows down your candidate pool significantly will a headhunter make sense.

Costs

Headhunters come at a price, so don't hire one unless you are able and willing to accommodate the fees that are associated with their services. Once they find you an acceptable professional to fill your job, headhunters usually charge you a percentage of the person's first year salary. However, each recruiter will have his or her own fee scale, so find out before you hire the headhunter exactly how much it will cost you. In some cases, it may be more cost effective to look for a candidate on your own, without the assistance of a professional recruiter. The good news is that you generally won't be charged anything unless the headhunter finds you a suitable hire.

Success Rate

Only hire a headhunter if you are confident with his success rate. Research reputable firms and get references whenever possible. Only after you have done your own due diligence in finding the best headhunter for your particular needs should you move forward. You should also ask questions about the pool of candidates from which the headhunter will search. If the recruiter is unwilling to approach people who work for his other corporate clients, the number of potential hires he can find for you may be limited from the start. Don't hire a headhunter unless you are confident that he is pulling from a large enough pull to reasonably fill your available position.