Why A Recruiter or Headhunters
Is Vitally Important To YOU?

Recruiter | How To Network Like a Headhunter | Guerrilla Networking | Hiring Proposal

Choose Your Best Recruiter / Headhunters
A MUST read book - "Headhunter" Hiring Secrets. By Author Skip Freeman. The Rules of The Hiring Game Changed in 2009 … FOREVER! A virtual tsunami of change has occurred in the job market since the Great Recession officially began in December 2007. In the United States alone over seven and one-half million jobs have simply disappeared into thin air, and over four million of these jobs were lost in 2009. Worldwide, of course, many more millions of jobs have also simply evaporated during this same period.
"Headhunter" Hiring Secrets: The Rules of the Hiring Game Have Changed . . . Forever!

economic globalization opportunities

How the Recruiter Make Their Income

Retained Search Firms A sizable number of good, reliable recruiting firms generally contract with businesses to locate and recruit candidates for the positions they need to fill. The fee charged by the recruiting firm normally is 25% to 33% of the successful candidate's first-year salary (paid by the client company, not the candidate). These recruiting firms actively seek out fully qualified candidates to present to companies that are hiring. Retained search firms normally deal only with executive-level candidates, so unless you are currently employed at that level, or have been in the recent past, don't expect them to come knocking on your door anytime soon.

Contingency Search Firms Our firm, The HTW Group, is this type of search firm. There are some criteria that must be met in order to work with a contingency firm and, if you meet these criteria, you should consider contacting these types of recruiting firms as another component of your marketing plan. Five percent of the time, however, is the recruiter proactively seeking to find you a position and "take you to market." Ninety-five percent of the time, the recruiter is looking for the right slate of candidates for presenting on an open position, and it may or may not include you.

Work with A Recruiter or A Headhunter

If you do end up working with a "headhunter," here are some critical key points to keep in mind:

  • Always be 100% honest with the recruiter and keep him or her fully informed about everything you do in conjunction with your job search.
  • Call the recruiter back within four hours of him/her calling you,i.e, if they leave you a voice mail message.
  • Ask the recruiter questions about the opportunity so that you know all about it and are sure that you can do the job and want to do the job.
  • Call the recruiter back within two hours of any interview.
  • Be prepared to make a decision within 24 hours after any final interview.
  • Good recruiters will never present you to a company without your permission, i.e., reveal your identity. If they do, you need to move on immediately!


Recruiter/agencies will have a greater chance of successfully locating a position for you if your professional discipline is of a technical or specific nature, such as accounting, engineering, or sales. A headhunter is often a useful partner for a capable and promising executive, for a variety of reasons. The headhunter can do the following:

  • Serve as market intelligence, a personalized barometer on what you are worth in your marketplace.
  • Provide a powerful assessment of where you stand compared to others in your field.
  • Help pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses, priorities, and motivations.
  • Help you focus on your career aspirations, a critical step that many people find nearly impossible to make the time to do on their own.

You have in your hands a time saving tool: use the listings. Ideal headhunters are well known and respected in their fields, offer excellent market intelligence, display personal integrity and honesty, and, most important, are on the same wavelength with you. A really good recruiter is hard to find. The excellent ones are highly visible and frequently approached. You need to distinguish yourself to make yourself interesting to that ideal headhunter and recruiter.


If you're looking to cultivate a particular headhunter, find some interest that the two of you share. Whether it's an interest in the derivatives market, East Asian art, or motorcycle racing, such a connection is a great start. If you find no common hobbies or interests, consider joining a charity or arts committee in which the recruiter is also involved.


The Global 200 - An Essential Guide to the Best Recruiters in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America (Jossey Bass Business and Management Series)

Top Global Firms Inside Look


Nancy Garrison-Jenn, writer of The Global 200 Executive Recruiters, provided a short summary of each of the top fifteen global firms, including the headquarters address, senior management, and services provided. She also include her brief assessment of each firm's current direction.


1.Korn/Ferry International
1800 Century Park East Suite 900
Los Angeles, CA 90067, U.S.A.
Telephone:1(310)553-8640
Company website: http://www.kornferry.com

Integrated firm

Senior management:
Richard Ferry, chairman, Los Angeles
Michael Boxberger, president and CEO, Los Angeles
Edward Kelley, president, Europe, London
Peter L Dunn, vice-chairman, management services, Los Angeles
Windle Priem, president, North America, New York

Total offices worldwide: 71
Services provided: executive search, management audit, selection

Assessment: Moving forward

Number one firm worldwide. Also number one in Asia and Latin America where its largest recent growth has occurred. The firm has good geographic balance and breadth, shows aggressive global leadership, and is good at global client relationships. Innovative in advanced technology: first to experiment with cyberspace headhunting via Internet. Getting stronger in specialty practice groups(especially media and entertainment, health care,consumer goods) and in serving global clients. Needs t do more CEO/board level work and get stronger in Europe.



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