How To Get Headhunted

Headhunting is a recruitment phenomenon. When I first started Alexander Mann, headhunting was only really a model used in the US, it hadn’t become a ‘thing’ in the UK yet.

I remember sitting in my broom cupboard office with the yellow pages, and a ‘find me a store manager request’ from a retail client. I called every superstore in the area, and found the name of the store manager, and that’s how my headhunting career began.

Headhunting is a really powerful recruitment tool, because it makes the candidate feel good. Receiving a message from a competitor expressing interest provides you with the confirmation you’ve been craving; you are great at what you do, and people are noticing your hard work.

Of course, I encourage everyone to be loyal to employers who treat them well, and have fulfilling job roles.

However, if you’re feeling as though your current role is just a stepping stone, then here’s a few ways to get headhunted;

Be visible

Building your career means your building your own brand. People tend to forget this. Every professional experience you have, is added validation that you’re an expert in your field.

However, this can be wasted if nobody knows about you. Therefore, networking is key.

Get yourself in front of the right people and make a good first impression, you could meet a CEO who thinks you’re really great and the next thing you know, there’s an offer in your inbox. I know this happens, because I’ve done it before.

Be socially savvy

It’s important you have a strong presence online if you want to be contacted for the best opportunities.  A lot of people forget that employers look at social media feeds for candidates, but it’s actually one of the most used tools in the industry. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date and professional – new responsibilities should be constantly added on and any projects you have worked on should have their own section. You may also want to consider uploading your latest CV onto all the major job boards. Headhunters usually don’t look on here, but it’s good to be visible to recruiters the next level down as they still have highly sought after and lucrative roles.

Stay in touch

If you’ve been approached by a headhunter but the opportunity isn’t really for you, don’t just leave it at that. Stay in contact with them so you’re someone they think of when the right opportunity comes along. It’s all about relationship building – let them know how you are getting on in your current job and what direction you’re looking to take. These people have great connections, so the stronger your relationship, the more likely you are to be on their hit list.

Be productive

It may seem simple and very obvious but the best way to get yourself noticed is to excel at what you do. Things like networking and brand building, which I mentioned earlier, are critical – but there is no substitute for actual output. Go the extra mile on projects and always look to take on responsibility. The harder you work and the better your output, the more word will get around.