When it comes to hunting jobs, it is always best to reach out to a headhunter or a recruiter who can make things a little bit easy through some assistance. Now you must be thinking that those two words might be the same because of years of interchangeable use. Well, we are here to help clear your doubt and tell you exactly what a head hunter is through this article. By the end of it, you will know what a headhunter is and how you can become one.
Definition of a Headhunter
A Headhunter is a highly skilled individual or a company that helps employers recruit employees on their behalf. They are trained to only hire the best of the best when hiring talented and experienced employees for a firm.
They are also called executive recruiters, and their function is to locate the individuals who meet job expectations. Moreover, Headhunters work for more than one company at once. This works to their advantage as they get a clear and better understanding of what’s required by the firms. Not only do they get to interview a diverse spectrum of individuals, but they also get to specialize in various fields that may include marketing, BD, tech, etc.
Since they are thorough with their research, it becomes easy for a headhunter to find the best possible candidate out of the pool of resumes. This is why a Headhunter is considered very efficient when it comes to doing the job right.
Difference between a Headhunter and a Recruiter
Even though it may look like a Headhunter and recruiter are the same, the interchangeable use may make them seem like the same thing over the years. But in reality, a headhunter is very different from a recruiter. To understand the difference better, you need to understand the working of them both.
Working of a Headhunter-
Headhunters are usually independent individuals or a part of a recruiting agency that supports companies in finding the right employee.
Hired by a company, a headhunter’s job is to find the most suitable and skilled professional for the job. They have to make sure that the person they are hiring for the job possesses the right skills and talent that adds real value to the company.
Once the headhunter finalizes a candidate from his/her side, the resume gets transferred to the company. It’s their decision whether to hire that person or not. One of the key things to remember is that a Headhunter is not involved in the direct hiring process. He or she can recommend a good candidate for the company by interviewing talented prospective candidates.
And since they work for more than one company, they can ask an employee of one company to switch to a different company if they find that employee skilled and suitable.
Working of a Recruiter-
On the other hand, recruiters are the ones who work towards filling the open positions in a company. They are usually hired by a company who has advertised or put the open positions in their company.
Unlike Headhunter, the recruiters are not as proactive. They may post about the job openings, but they don’t usually approach the candidates. They wait for the suitable candidates to come to them.
Also, the job of a recruiter is to fill multiple positions in the company. If a person is not qualified for one position, they might make them apply for a different position to utilize the resources.
Verdict
After learning about the working of both Recruiter and Headhunter, you might be having a much clear idea of their differences. They might have similar goals of hiring the right candidate for a company, but they have widely different roles. So, the next time you hear the word Headhunter, don’t confuse it with a recruiter.
Do Headhunters Help in Finding Job?
If you are looking for a job, you must be thinking about approaching a Headhunter. We have already established that a Headhunter is more like a third-party hired by a company to bring talented professionals to the firm.
But it can also work the other way. You can work with a Headhunter who can help you find a job that you always wanted.
How to Approach a Headhunter?
Being a candidate, you might find it intimidating to approach a headhunter or a recruiter. But don’t worry because if you have the required skill set and genuine interest in the job, you won’t find it hard to work your way around the initial screening or the interview round. The only thing that a headhunter wants is a skilled candidate who is well-suited for the company, and you have to tell them how you are that candidate.
What we just told you was part of the direct approach. You can also have an indirect approach by updating your LinkedIn profile as most headhunters and recruiters look at a candidate’s LinkedIn before approaching them. So, make sure that you know how to sell yourself the right way through LinkedIn.
Can I become a Headhunter?
Yes, you can. Becoming a headhunter is not that hard as long as you are good at doing research. Usually, those aiming to become a headhunter have to earn a degree in human resources or business. It always helps to have a degree and the knowledge of the job openings you are looking for candidates.
Apart from that, you also have to have a network to survive in the industry. If you don’t have contacts or networking skills, you might also choose some other profession. Being a Headhunter requires you to communicate with different people, so you might develop strong listening and observation skills to read between the lines while taking interviews or talking to a potential candidate for your company. Headhunters work on a contract basis or more like a commission basis where they only get paid after successful placement. You might also want to know that a Headhunter is usually paid more than recruiters. So, if you want to be a headhunter, make sure that you fulfill these criteria.
