There has been a vacant position in your company for some time now… You tried several options to fill the position, but were unsuccessful? When it comes to recruiting, whether internal or external, it is sometimes difficult to see clearly.
You have vaguely heard of headhunters but still, you ask yourself; “actually, what is a headhunter?“
Don’t worry: We’ll give you the definition of a headhunter!
Let’s start by reassuring you …
With a name like that, maybe some might think that headhunters are ruthless people, who want to place any candidate at any cost, so that they can earn a commission.
Well it couldn’t be more wrong!
Definition of a headhunter according to the recruitment industry
In reality, a headhunter is simply someone who accompanies candidates, and the companies that are hiring, through the entire hiring process.
According to Investopedia, the definition of a headhunter is as follows: ”Headhunters are hired by firms to find talent and to locate individuals who meet specific job requirements. Headhunters may also be referred to as executive recruiters and the function they perform is often called executive search.”
OK, but beyond that, what is important to know about this job?
Headhunters recruit for very specific positions. They look for quality in candidates and a good fit between the candidate and the company. Headhunting recruiters don’t necessarily have huge banks of candidates ready to work, as they will instead be looking for professionals already employed. This is called an active approach, which means they will directly contact people with an interesting profile, without them having applied for a posted job, or even without them being actively looking for a new job.
Does that surprise you? You might be confusing headhunters with recruitment agencies.
To better understand the differences between the two services, we invite you to read this article : Headhunters or Placement Agency : 3 Things to Consider
Do you need the services of a headhunter?
- If you are looking to recruit for strategic or very specialized positions …
- If you are in an industry where the labor force is scarce …
- If you want to have access to candidates who are not actively looking for jobs…
Then headhunters are the recruiters for you!
What should you expect when using the services of a headhunter?
Let’s start from the beginning! If you want to use headhunting services for your business, you will have to start by talking about the position to fill. At this stage, the headhunter will listen to your needs and seek to understand the expectations and values of the company. This is a particularly important step, during which the recruiter can adjust expectations, in line with the market. After all, headhunters have a high expertise in specialized fields or markets.
They will then do extensive research and approach targeted candidates according to the requirements established with you. Depending on the firm you hire, headhunters can offer a whole range of services afterwards.
- Resume screening
- Telephone interviews and full interviews
- Reference checks
- Psychometric tests, technical tests and medical tests
- Criminal record checks
- Etc.
When you work with a headhunting firm, you benefit from the utmost professionalism. Indeed, the ethics of these recruitment experts are paramount, and the conditions of their mandates are proof of their rigor. There are always confidentiality clauses, and 3-month to 1-year guarantees on the candidates placed.
As for headhunter rates, we invite you to read this article to find out more: How much does a headhunter cost? - Headhunter rates in Quebec
Definition of a headhunter according to Thorens
For Thorens, expertise and professionalism are obviously the priority. But more importantly, we see headhunters as humans listening and serving other humans. Our recruiters develop long-term relationships and want to ensure the satisfaction of the company and the candidate placed.
A headhunter is hired by a company that has one or more vacancies, but that doesn’t mean that he or she isn’t also serving candidates as well.
Our headhunters will start by having a discussion with the candidates they contact, regarding their ambitions, needs, motivations and expectations. They always try to develop a bond of trust with the candidates, in order to have authentic conversations with them.
Headhunters are simply looking to provide a better career opportunity for the people they contact. Thus, if the person contacted is not interested in what is offered, there will be no pressure from the recruiter side. Our headhunters are not there to convince someone to take an opportunity they are not interested in. Either way, an unconvinced candidate won’t stay with your company for long.
At Thorens, we value the quality of profiles rather than quantity. Thus, we are certain that the candidates we will present to you will suit you and will be a great fit with your values, your needs and your company’s culture. We also analyze profiles to find people who will stay in your company for the long term. We guarantee our placements between 6 months to 1 year, depending on the position. In addition, throughout the process, we are always transparent with our clients, and we communicate the progress of the mandate.
To learn more about the services we offer: Our Services
