I am not a Head-Hunter....

I find the words “Head-hunter” horrid and I have no idea why. Maybe it’s when you hear candidates say, “Oh I was head hunted for a job”, that’s what I don’t like. Because I’ve heard it so many times and when you probe, they haven’t. A recruiter has approached them about a job wanting to have a chat to see if it matches what they’re looking for. To me good old fashioned “Head Hunting” is a company decides either who they want to join their business and they employ someone to go and get that exact person, or a company gives a recruiter a short list of names and target companies, and off they go. Anything else is not Head Hunting. It is recruitment. In my opinion which I am fully aware some people might not agree with. But hey ho!

And I don’t hunt for people and I certainly don’t hunt for heads, it’s just a horrid saying. I work with a portfolio of clients across the UK and when they give me a brief, I go out and find that person. I sometimes don’t find that person purely because a) that person doesn’t exist, b) the client changes their mind c) someone beats me to it! But I map out companies, I advertise jobs, I contact people proactively on LinkedIn, I ask for recommendations, I use my database and my own network. I then engage with candidates, talk them through the job and the business and it’s a two way process. They then decide if they want to progress if we’re both in agreement in that there is something worth exploring.

But I hear what other recruiters do, they rely heavily on a database within a large, UK wide company. They send out CV’s to clients when they’ve not even spoken to the candidate, they don’t know in great detail what the candidate does or why they’re a great fit. Then others work at the standard I work at and then some Executive Recruiters go to a whole new level and work on a Retained basis (taking a % of the fee before they even start speaking to candidates). Recruitment is so varied and it’s so personal. From a client and a candidate perspective, you have to find a process that works for you. You have to find a recruiter that understands and believes in your core values, that understands the type of person that fits within your business and represents you accurately. From a candidate point of view, you need to find a recruiter than really listens to you, that genuinely wants what’s best for you. Not someone who just has to get so many people out to interview each week because that’s what they’re targeted on, or someone who just sees the £’s in placement when they see you. You want a recruiter who wants you to take the time to think things through, putting your career first.

So whether you want someone to hunt your head or you want a head hunter, whether you just want sheer volume of CV’s on your desk to arrange interviews, invest the time in finding the right person for your team, whether that’s sitting down with a recruiter for an hour, giving them a site/ factory tour. Because when someone takes an hour of your time up during an interview, you want them to have done some investing in time and research as well. If someone turns up to an interview knowing very little, did you spend very little time giving a brief of what you want? Invest the time properly and wisely, and maybe you’ll get a whole person for your money, rather than just a head.

Email: jo@winhurstrecruitment.co.uk

Tel: 0115 975 6513

@winhurstrec