This is how headhunters work

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Who could fit?

Finding out is the job of headhunters

Photo: Andrey Popov/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Headhunters are no longer limited to filling management positions.

With the growing shortage of skilled workers, companies are increasingly commissioning them to search for sought-after specialists.

If you are looking for a new job, contacting a personnel consultant can therefore be worthwhile.

However, many managers and specialists also have frustrating experiences.

Here you can read what you can expect from HR consultants - and when the alarm bells should ring for you.

Beware of "resume dealers"

Apart from the past two Corona years, the personnel consulting industry has been growing steadily.

The dark side of this development, however, is that a few black sheep have jumped on this bandwagon.

If your CV is passed on to companies without a preliminary interview and careful analysis of your profile, this is more like a CV trade than a serious executive search.

Unfortunately, this urge for quick money damages the reputation of the entire industry.

Be careful when approaching a recruiter who is not hired by the company to fill the position.

This can lead to unwanted multiple submissions of your CV to the same company, thereby damaging your reputation.

Incidentally, this also applies to the inclusion of your profile in so-called marketing newsletters, which are sent to hundreds of companies.

Such newsletters may be used for customer acquisition, but not for mediation.

In the worst case, it is even possible to draw conclusions about your person.

If you are offered this service, you should decline with thanks.

You can also revoke your consent to the storage and use of your data at any time if you have any doubts about the professionalism of your contact.

Headhunters are looking for people for vacancies, not vacancies for you

Many executives tell me about frustrating experiences with personnel consultancies.

However, these disappointments are often based on ignorance and unrealistic expectations.

A headhunter is commissioned by a company to fill a defined position – but not to place random applicants.

So it would be naïve to hope that a headhunter would make an effort to find a suitable vacancy for you.

Either your profile matches the search requests or your application ends up in the filing cabinet.

How to get in touch with HR consultants

You can identify personnel consultants via XING and LinkedIn and also make initial contacts there.

If your profile is meaningful, the person will get a first impression and, if interested, will request further information from you.

Proceed in a targeted manner and only address recruitment consultants whose target group fits your profile.

It's a bit of a hassle, but it pays off.

And start making contact early, because it can take a few weeks before a headhunter has a mandate that fits your profile.

Be serious

Anyone who expects professionalism from an HR consultant should behave in the same way themselves.

Never try to play different personnel consultants off against each other or to address the supposed client directly behind their backs.

This will only lead to your quick exclusion from the application process.

Excessive remuneration expectations signal to the personnel consultant that you do not have a realistic self-assessment or are a "gambler".

Both endanger your application success.

Keep your feet on the ground.

As an honest broker, a good recruitment consultant will mediate the salary expectations between you and the employer.

Does the HR consultant earn if I ask for a higher salary?

I often hear this question.

There are different fee models on the market, which are based either on the target salary for the position or on the degree of difficulty to be expected in filling the position.

However, your individually negotiated starting salary will rarely determine the consultant's fee significantly, because this invites you to play tactical games that stand in the way of serious cooperation between the client and the personnel consultant.

Conclusion

Use recruitment consultants as one of several ways to find the new position that best suits you.

Don't take it personally if you don't get the red carpet rolled out everywhere.

Nevertheless, always behave professionally and respectfully.

Remember: each of your activities serves the future employer and his service provider as a diagnostic indication of your suitability for the desired position.