How to Choose a Headhunter

The right headhunter can fill a position with a capable candidate.

A headhunter can promote big change for your company. His role is to match up skilled professionals with corporate jobs. As compensation, the headhunter gets a percentage of the worker's starting salary. The right headhunter can sort through many applicants and pick out the best fits for your company, saving you a tremendous amount of time and energy.

Things You'll Need

• Headhunter

Instructions

1. Talk with the potential headhunter at length. You must feel comfortable communicating with your headhunter because you will be speaking with her regularly.

2. Check his appearance. If your headhunter appears sloppy, there is a chance that his clients are sloppy as well.

3. Ask your headhunter how she will be advertising the position. A thorough headhunter should have multiple advertisement options.

4. Inquire about his fees. Most headhunters do not charge more than 30% to 35% of the employee's starting salary.

5. Ask how long it will take her to find a good candidate. If you are in a hurry to fill a position, you may want to give her a maximum of 60 days. If you have more time, you may want to give her 90 days.

6. Confirm that the headhunter you are communicating with will be the person actually doing the headhunting. Sometimes the person who you are speaking with is merely a salesperson.

7. Check your headhunter's references. Call past clients to see how satisfied they were with his performance.

References

• Bankrate.com: Hunting Down a Headhunter

Resources

• Bloomberg Businessweek: The World's Most Influential Headhunters