Reading this you have most likely had experiences with using headhunters in your career. Some of those interactions would have been good and value adding, others possibly not so good.

Last year was a tough one for us all: clients, candidates and headhunters alike. As the market heats up again in 2009, it’s natural to assess where you want to be in your career.

Many of the recruiters you have dealt with have probably been on your side of the fence and worked in the financial services industry when they were younger. This gives them a perspective of empathy, technical knowledge about the market and the roles they recruit for, and also a network of contacts.

If you can’t beat them…

So if you want to put your banking days behind you, but still leverage off your experience in banking, why not see if you can do better? The most critical question here is what exact qualities are needed to be successful in the recruitment game?

People who have had questionable help from recruiters usually complain about a general lack of interest and/or feedback from the firm. A poor understanding about the market and functional job areas is also a big issue.

Perhaps top of the list in terms of seriousness would be a decent code of ethics. All too often we unfortunately hear of recruiters sending out CVs without prior consent and exaggerating on both the merits of the jobs and the candidates they are working with.

On the flip side, a decent headhunter can be an endless source of suitable career opportunities, market knowledge and advice, and a true business partner for both talented individuals and progressive organisations.

Excellent communication skills, drive, empathy and strong business values are the minimum entry requirement to make any kind of long-term impact in recruitment. The role of a recruiter is quite unique in many ways: you are an HR specialist, a technical advisor, a career counselor, a sales person and a consultant all in one.

The challenge is not easy: find and tap into fresh candidate talent pools; build long-term and fruitful relationships with clients; and of course have a steady flow of vacancies to deal with.

This is an industry known for its turnover and many fail to deliver. However, the rewards can potentially be very good. Transparent commission, job variety and satisfaction can be limitless.

James Carss, general manager, Hudson