Executive Search firms like ours no longer use the term “headhunter” but candidates still call us the same. Not everyone knows exactly what we do apart from recruiting people. Some would laugh and joke around when you say you’re a headhunter in the Philippines or elsewhere. Some would even find it a little uncanny.
I will take this opportunity to clear this up and put in plain words as much as I can what a headhunter really is and how important we are to the corporate world.
Let’s start with the pessimistic part of it. Our job is unpredictable and we can’t control it. It is stressful and very frustrating. Pretty much, we base our success on other people’s decisions. There’s no certainty to success and you can’t be complacent. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, at the end of the day, it will still hit you right back and you fail helplessly. Then, you start building issues with trust.
Let me be more direct. Candidates can really be indecisive sometimes, today you’re taking the offer, the next day you turn into a totally different person. Today, a client has an urgent need and then they’ll tell you all of a sudden that they don’t need a talent for that role. We deal with scenarios like this every single day but we don’t complain, we do it anyway.
On the reserve, there’s beauty in it. It is partly charity. We make money by helping other people get jobs. We help companies grow and find strong leaders. We don’t just chase talents and send their CVs to our clients, no. We invest so much time and attention. We even serve as every company’s ambassadors; we sometimes share the same DNA with our clients to better represent them. Each of them becomes a part of us.
The bonus part is, we hear out different stories of success.
Let me describe to you what a headhunter is in 8 ways.
We are your professional stalker.
You can’t hide anything from us. Your remuneration package, the bosses you hate, reason for leaving, where you live, where you want to be at, what your future plans are. If you lie, we will certainly find out. Also, one thing can confirm why you find the word headhunter a bit creepy: we do check your Facebook account to see your “other side” for better assessment.
We can pass as your best friend.
We are the best keepers of your secrets. We value confidentiality more than anything else. We can be your human alarm clock too. We remind you of your interviews, we know what you do during your free time and the best part is, we know what your favorite coffee is.
We know your worth.
Yes, we appreciate you and you inspire us. We even feel envy sometimes and start asking ourselves: Why did I choose this career and not yours? We learn so much from you, there’s always a key takeaway, a lesson.
We sometimes act like your mother.
We, most of the time, know what’s best for you. We keep you informed regarding better and more challenging opportunities. We tell you when it is already the right time to move out.
We can be your cheerleader.
Simply because we know what motivates you, what drives you, we can cheer you on. We tell you how good you are and we send you good luck messages before an interview.
We are good listeners.
No one else can listen to you the way we do. We can even be your guidance counselor. You rant, you share your frustrations and all we do is nod and acknowledge. We take everything by heart and with appreciation because you trust us.
We believe in you.
You share your achievements to us and we acknowledge and say it’s impressive. We feel good for you, sometimes, we even feel proud of you.
We have an incredible convincing power.
We can really make you sign an offer. We can make you say yes.
It is always good to have yourself interviewed by headhunters. No one in this world is indispensible; you will always need a plan B. They will keep you updated regarding current industry market and openings among others. They are the most reliable people to ask regarding salary, benefits and company stability. They are the best career consultants.
I hope this will change people’s perception toward headhunters. We don’t just match make, we create a special path for you that will lead you to your dream job. When you apply to us, it’s like applying to a lot different opportunities.
Lastly, we, headhunters, we can change your life!