US
Have you ever thought of buying the services of a headhunter to work on your behalf?
As my job search has become increasingly laborious, I’ve been thinking a lot about the virtues of engaging my own personal headhunter. If a company can mandate a search firm to find the right candidate, why can’t a candidate mandate a search firm?
Don’t get me wrong – I’m not too lazy to look for a job myself. I’ve been throwing myself bodily into looking for a new role on a daily basis. My CV and my application letter have both been constructed with the assistance of recruitment professionals. I’ve done the interview skills workshops with recruitment firms and the outplacement providers and I’ve always had positive feedback.
However, I’ve got nowhere. At this stage, I’d prefer to sacrifice 25% of my first year’s compensation and pay a headhunter to use his or her network, than continue looking for a job alone.
I’ve made some enquiries, expecting my idea to be warmly received. Instead, I’ve had two main responses: from headhunters have told me it wouldn’t be ethical for me to pay them to find me a job; from others, who’ve said finding a job is an interior journey and pseudo-religious quest that shouldn’t be paid for.
The latter is plainly ridiculous, but in what way is paying a headhunter morally condemnatory? The benefits of paying someone to act on your behalf are clear. You’ll be first to hear about appropriate jobs. People without the time to commit to a job search will also be more inclined to move, and therefore less likely to become de-motivated in jobs they’re too fearful to leave.
Everyone wins: the headhunter and the candidate. I find it hard to believe that this doesn’t happen all the time.
A version of this article first appeared on our
French website.
“I’d prefer to sacrifice 25% of my first year’s compensation and pay a headhunter to use his or her network, than continue looking for a job alone”…….
Oh Purlease. Nice try Mr Underperforming headhunter….
Excellent idea, I’m surprised your hands not been bitten-off, maybe the idea is too radical for some firms. This could trigger a sea-change per the new world we’re in. Would add that your plan may only be viable at very senior levels? Good luck regardless & come back here if you can be bothered as would be most interested to see how your ‘experiment’ pans out.
The Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 state It is unlawful for any agency to charge candidates a fee for providing work finding services.
this is quite common in the Middle East recruitment sector
this is not at all common in the middle east recruitment sector !!
tho’ a nice meal at the end of the recruitment process for a deserving headhunter is always appreciated…and yes the regulations are clear..it is illegal at present
A lot of firms will offer this service to good candidate free of charge; the candidate opens doors, the company get the fee, the deal is sweet.
Auhor – Why not use Harrison Careers then? If you do not know about them then I imagine that you have not been searching for a job as hard as I.
I have already tried what this guy wrote about. My response from the headhunters was:
1. Terminate meeting or hang up / put the phone down.
2. Our business model doesn’t work that way.
3. It’s unethical as our blue chip banking clients have the right to confidentiality.
Someone who takes a % of your salary in return for finding you a job? Like a recruitment agency?
You’ve completely failed to grasp the business model of a retained headhunter, who works exclusively to fill roles on which he is mandated. If you were right for those roles you’d be on their radar anyway without a need to pay them – they have legions of researchers mapping markets. If you’re frankly not much good, you won’t get shortlisted, whether you’re waving a fistful of dollars or not. No retained headhunter worth his salt would engage in the spivvy act of punting around a candidate who has clearly been looking for a job without success for ages; it would damage his credentials. It’s all about co-branding and only those headhunters who lack brand and clout would be short-termist enough to take a fee in the grubby manner described.
I tried this in the Middle East but they said it was illegal……..
Ask yourself this question. Are you marketable?
There are not enough candidates who would pay headhunters for this service, although I have always believed that it should be offered – and the fee paid could be refunded when the client (hirer) pays the headhunter a placement fee for finding the candidate. However, others are correct in pointing out that currently it is deemed illegal. Also, there is a conflict of interest issue: headhunters work for clients (hirers), not candidates. Once a headhunter actually works to a candidate’s order, he can no longer be the client’s (hirer’s) agent. Lastly, headhunters debase their own currency by punting around a candidate who is not eminently hireable – especially in this market.
Bit like a football agent….?
This is a nice idea, why not indeed. I shudder though thinking about some of the recruiters I’ve dealt with cold calling around willy nilly pitching me. I think it could work, but equally could be viewed as annoying and desperate. Maybe if you’re Head of Global Markets for JPM or whatever, but for those who are not prominent bankers I suspect it would backfire
oh crap.
Stupid recruiters making stupid comments …… nothing new here. The fact that you wish to use what is referred to as reverse headhunting does not mean your are not “eminently marketable”. Idiots. It may be the right strategy to enter a market in which a candidate has neither experience nor contacts. I know it is extremely difficult to for recruiters but they should at least attempt to use their brains before making stupid comments. Recruiters should never forget that if they were marketable they wouldn’t be recruiters. Keep that in mind.
Because it’s illegal… see Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003
@ Pro – I find recruiters very marketable
@ Pro – if you had better grammar than the average six year old, I might find your comment more offensive.