6 Ways to Hunt for Headhunters

Help recruiters help you.

Learn how recruiters do their job, and you're more likely to build a beneficial relationship with one of them.

In many areas, the U.S. economy is heating up. While long-term unemployment remains persistently high, in many labor markets, employers are finding it increasingly difficult to find talented people for key hard-to-fill roles. For example, the Boston Business Journal recently reported that the rate of unemployment for well-qualified information technology professionals in Massachusetts is down to 1 percent.

More than at any time since the financial debacle that began in 2008, employers are now clamoring to find and attract quality employees. Their search for talent requires companies to rely upon and engage third-party recruiting companies for IT and many other fields.

Working with a recruiter can be a great option if you are looking for a new job and have the particular skill set and experience for a hard-to-fill position. Bear in mind that they are invariably paid by the employer. Given that, some recruiters go out of their way to be helpful to candidates they know they can’t place, while others limit their focus to what they call MPCs – Most Peaceable Candidates.

Because commissions are based on the principle of "first touch," a candidate has no value to a recruiter if he or she has previously submitted a résumé to a client. The value is also limited if a recruiter knows that the candidate is working with the competition and is likely to come to a position of having to choose between multiple offers.

It can be very helpful to understand how headhunters go about finding candidates in order to position yourself to be easily found.

1. Internal database. The soul of every recruiting company is its own internal proprietary database of people and résumés. Included will be potentially interesting candidates, people who have referred them to others and just about everyone the recruiters have ever dealt with.

There are free services that will blast your résumé out to hundreds of recruiters in the hopes that it will “stick” somewhere. But beware that many recruiters see this is a self-defeating act of desperation, which also improves the chances that you will be working with their competition.

Tip: Develop relationships with a few key recruiters who specialize in placing people like you to become a part of their database.

2. Sourcers. There is a mostly "underground" industry of people and firms paid to source the names and contact information of potential “passive candidates” – currently employed individuals who are not overtly looking to be found. Sourcing companies do the dirty work of calling companies and getting past gatekeepers to determine who works in the relevant departments or serves in target roles. They also do extensive research on LinkedIn and through sophisticated Google searches. For example, they will cull lists of membership roles of professional organizations and lists of attendees at industry and professional conventions and conferences. 

Recruiters will take the lists of contacts that sourcers develop and reach out to anyone and everyone. If you get the standard line: “Do you know anyone who would be interested in or be a good fit for such-and-such role,” take that to mean: “Are you interested and available?” Of course, if the role sounds even a bit intriguing, don’t hesitate to begin a conversation.

Tip: It's pointless to try to introduce yourself to a sourcer. Instead, leave professional tracks online. Attend and make presentations at meetings. Write blog posts about areas of your expertise using keywords particular to job descriptions for which you would be a good fit.

3. Job board résumé databases. Recruiters and internal human resources staffing pros pay to gain access to résumés posted on the mega job boards, such as CareerBuilder and Monster, as well as relevant smaller industry or skill-specific job boards.

Tip: When you post your résumé, you lose the ability to tailor it to specific jobs. Nonetheless, if you have a strong generic résumé, it may well be worth posting.

4. Job board ads. Recruiters frequently advertise the key positions they are seeking to fill.

Tip: Respond with a personalized cover letter and highly targeted résumé if you are qualified for the role. If you suspect you aren’t a great candidate, don’t apply! Instead, get in touch with the recruiter for the purposes of introducing yourself and building a relationship. And if you know someone who would be that great fit, do refer him or her!

5. Networking events. Good recruiters understand that it is as much of a relationship business as a transactional one. They will frequently attend networking events, conferences and professional meetings to learn about and meet the “who's who” of any given group.

Tip: Attend these events, bring your business cards and prepare to network!

6. Social media. Recruiters are all over sites like LinkedIn and find people based on status updates, group discussions and sophisticated searches of profiles for the right keywords.

Tip: Make sure your profile is strong and keyword-rich. Post interesting updates, participate in groups and keep it entirely professional.

Happy hunting!

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