How to find the right headhunter

Are you looking for qualified candidates for a specialist or management position in your company, or are you planning to change jobs yourself and climb the next rungs on the career ladder? Personnel consultants are good sparring partners not only for companies, but also for managers and experts who are willing to change jobs, if you are looking for the next challenge.

The following applies: the more specific the requirements for the profile of a new position, the better an experienced personnel consultancy can help to find the right position or the best candidate. But how do you find the right personnel consultant for you as an employee? We will tell you!

If you as an employee contact a headhunter, there are usually two reasons for this: Either you have your sights set on a specific position that is being handled by an executive search firm, or you want the headhunter to find a suitable position for you at best. Regardless of the reason for approaching a headhunter, prepare yourself well for the first contact, because you will not get a second chance to make a first impression.

When selecting a headhunter, take your time and do not blindly trust the first hit of your Google search query. You should know that headhunters are usually specialized in certain industries and fill vacancies mostly exclusively industry-related in their areas of expertise. Therefore, it makes sense to contact a headhunter who is a specialist in your field, because specialists and executives need a sparring partner on the same level.

The first step in finding your individually suitable headhunter is thorough research on the Internet. Always view and read all information with a critical eye and, if necessary, obtain references, opinions and evaluations. This way you can quickly get an idea of the consultant's approach. We also advise you not to lump all providers into the same pot, because there are serious differences between an "executive search consultant", a personnel consultant, a recruiter and the "full-on success mediator", especially in the way they work. In a first approach, it can make sense to first get into the conversation for a possible future vacancy. This is because, as a rule, recruiters and executive search consultants do not actively search for a suitable position on behalf of candidates. Basically, they oversee exclusive recruiting projects for companies and thus support them in their search for qualified specialists and executives. However, it never hurts to contact a headhunter and introduce yourself, as consultants will then already know you personally and can therefore approach you specifically when suitable vacancies arise.

A good HR consultancy can offer added value anyway, because it has access to unpublished positions and knows exactly what is currently happening in companies and the industry. Ideally, they always have their finger on the pulse and can foresee how the market is developing and where opportunities might arise. If you want to pique the interest of a headhunter, always carefully maintain your profiles on the major business platforms and job boards. Make sure you use keywords that match your skills and knowledge, this will make it easier for them to find you. And always remember: don't hesitate and pick up the phone, because this way you prove your own initiative and can make direct contact with a headhunter.

Through the constant exchange with exciting candidates who are open to a new challenge, we at Batterman Consulting have a specialized candidate pool of specialists and executives in the life science, industry and real estate sectors. This allows us to target the right candidates for exclusive recruitment projects and draw their attention to exciting positions in leading Swiss companies. Would you also like to become part of our pool of experts? Then send us your unsolicited application on our website today. We look forward to receiving your application!