How To Choose The Right Executive Recruiter
Posted by Tim McIntyre on Thu, Jan 20, 2011 @ 08:59 AM
If you're going to choose a headhunter, it's important to know that not all are created equal. Executive recruiting firms trying to fill top tier positions often have their own internal people doing this job. A good headhunter must be somebody who can best satisfy your needs and requirements. So don’t go into the selection process blindly. Be aware of the kinds of qualities you must base your selection on.
The Search Process
How are you actually going to find the right kind of candidate for the vacancy? That’s the kind of question that you need to ask your headhunter. The internet has allowed for new opportunities we never had before. A headhunter might just haul up a whole collection of CVs from the various internet databases, and say “Here you go”. Alright, it’s not something that is unprofessional or inefficient, but there is a whole list of candidates out there who are not actually looking for work but do have a lot of potential.
A good headhunter is somebody who does not rely of these databases, but relies on his/her own network to source the best candidates. They will then interview the candidates and match them for the kind of skill sets, knowledge base, and experience amongst various other things. The best ones they will then present to the client – you.
Who is the Headhunter?
Sounds like a simple question, right? After all, the executive recruiting firm you hire is going to be who is going to hunt for the head for you, right? Not quite. Many times, the person who you hire on the basis of his/her sales pitch, experience, and qualification will not be doing the headhunting. The person will delegate the job to an office based researcher.
The ‘Role’ Advertisement
Many headhunters resort to an expensive media advertisement campaign in order to advertise the ‘role’ that is vacant in a particular company. The point is that such expensive advertisements are often not needed. Not to mention any advertising campaigns like that you will be indirectly paying for. A good headhunter and executive recruitment firm will have a well built extensive network that he/she will use to source candidates. Choose somebody who does not rely too much on advertisements placed in the various forms of media.
The Fees Charged
Fees can be charged in various formats. They could be a percentage of the ‘On Target Earnings’ and the expenses incurred by the headhunter. They could also include the advertising budget. As, a client, you must select only those headhunters that are very clear about the kind of fees that they are going to charge. If that is not the case, then you might be in for a surprise or two when the invoice is delivered to you.
The Time Frame
A good headhunter does not offer abstract answers to the question “How long is the candidate search going to take?” He/she has a definite answer and doesn't say “it depends on…”
These are just a few of the parameters that will help you choose a headhunter. There are many others, but these will help you get underway.