What Is a Headhunter Firm and How Can They Help My Business?
Headhunters—you’ve probably heard about them, you’ve maybe met a few or googled about them, you may have even seen Mila Kunis depict one alongside Justin Timberlake in a romantic comedy, but what exactly is a headhunter or a headhunter firm? In this post, we’ll explain what a headhunter does and how a company would benefit from working with a headhunter firm.
What is a headhunter?
A headhunter, also referred to as an executive recruiter, is hired by a company to find top talent. A headhunter can either be an individual or a company (headhunter firm). These entities specialize in finding an ideal candidate to fill an open position and then act as a liaison between the candidate and the company looking to hire. Oftentimes, a headhunter can recruit candidates even if they are already working for a company and convince them to switch gigs.
What’s the difference between a headhunter and a recruiter?
Whether your company is looking to bring in new talent for a job vacancy that just opened, or you just want to add new expertise to your employee portfolio, you may be considering seeking the services of a headhunter or a recruiter. But what’s the difference between a headhunter and a recruiter? This is a common question, given that these job descriptions sound pretty similar.
The main difference is that headhunters are external recruiters, working with a company instead of internally. On the other hand, recruiters are people who work within a company to hire people for that company.
Also, headhunters are ideal when companies need to fill a position urgently— and the company doesn’t want to undergo the lengthy process of screening candidates. In contrast, since recruiters are often on staff, they have more time on their hands to process multiple applicants and resumes. They may not be the ideal option to use if you want a position filled on short notice.
How can a headhunter firm help your business?
Unlike other recruitment approaches, headhunting is more targeted—every candidate is carefully selected against the hiring firm’s requirements. As such, there are plenty of benefits to working with a headhunter. Here are a few ways a headhunter firm could help your business:
1. Efficient hiring
There isn’t any doubt that when it comes to making hiring decisions, you don’t want to make any mistakes. Nonetheless, taking all the time in the world to find a good fit for your vacant position isn’t feasible. Suppose your company does not have a dedicated hiring or a recruitment team, or simply does not have the time, and you have a position that needs to be filled sooner rather than later. In that case, a headhunter can take the work off your plate and find you the best candidate within the set deadline.
The recruitment process can also take a lot of resources and manpower. You will have to publish the offer, advertise it for at least a month, and review all the applications. By hiring a headhunter, you can avoid incurring costs such as advertising offers. Not to say that headhunting doesn’t include its own costs, but it can come cheaper than the traditional recruitment process.
2. Market knowledge and expertise
Your company is busy doing, well, whatever your company does. As such, it is likely that you are not researching the employment market. This means that you probably don’t understand the hiring dynamics and won’t be able to get a suitable candidate to fit the vacant position in your company.
A headhunter firm makes it their mission to know the hiring market inside and out. They do this by researching the market and being keen enough to identify the best candidates in the market to fill various positions. You can even find one that specializes specifically in your industry. However, most headhunting firms have teams that cover all industries and types of employment. You can therefore rest easy knowing that a headhunter will get you the best candidate for your vacant position.
3. Access to a larger employee network
When you hire a headhunter, you can gain access to employee networks—a whole pool of talent that you may not have seen on your own, including passive talent.
Headhunters take into account the fact that not all candidates are actively applying for a job but may be interested when potential opportunities are presented to them. Instead of posting job vacancies on job boards, headhunters tailor job adverts for individuals who meet the criteria that you’ve laid out. As such, you are sure that you will be accessing professionals who meet your job requirements.
For difficult-to-fill job positions like senior and C-level roles, or those positions that you don’t want to advertise publicly, headhunters are your ideal solution.
4. Commission-driven dedication
Typically, headhunters work on a commission basis–they only get paid once you have filled the position with a qualified candidate. They, therefore, recognize the importance of finding the most qualified candidates and won’t waste your time referring you to those who don’t meet all your job requirements. In short, headhunters are a cost-effective, sure-fire way of finding the right talent for the job.
Besides the benefits outlined above, a good headhunter firm can help you fine-tune your job descriptions and determine specifically what certain roles should be included versus what roles you currently have.
Ready to work with a headhunter firm for your hiring needs?
The types of employees you have at your company determine not only how smooth your operations will be, but how profitable your company will be. Hiring unqualified candidates may hurt your company; conversely, hiring qualified personnel will propel your company to greater heights.If you are looking for top talent in a short amount of time without spending tons of internal resources—a headhunter firm could be your ticket. Epic Placements is a firm for both talent-seeking gigs and gigs seeking talent. We can chat to see if Epic Placements would cover your hiring needs. Search for talent—either remote or in your city—here: https://epicplacements.com/services/.