When searching for a change of career, or for a start to your career, many hours can be spent on job applications, cover letters, and searching the internet through endless job boards. It can be a daunting and disheartening experience and is something we all go through. But scrolling through countless roles is not the only approach to a career change! Being headhunted by a recruiter, head-hunter, or hiring manager is the flip side of a job hunt and reduces the time you spend actively searching. But how do people get headhunted? Is it enough to simply create a LinkedIn profile and hope for the best?
There are various methods behind headhunting, and so there are many things you can do to ensure you are putting yourself on the radar of the right person!
GOAL ⚽
Why do you want to be headhunted?
How do you want to present yourself?
The first step to getting headhunted is to decide why and how you want to present yourself. If you know what role you are looking for, then you can present yourself to head-hunters in an appropriate way to showcase a skillset that aligns with that role.
If you are not sure what direction you want your career to take, then it can be a little harder to know where to start, so begin by…
🔸 Talking to people and building connections
🔸 Networking
🔸 Building a more generic, yet strong, profile
🔸 Highlighting your versatile and widely sought-after skills
Do all of this, and you’re off to a great start!
VISIBILITY 👓
The key to being headhunted is to make yourself visible, and this is two-fold, as you can aim to stand out both virtually and in person. Virtual visibility is the obvious first step, and we recommend a solid LinkedIn profile to get your foot in the door.
LinkedIn is a key tool to being headhunted. If you are looking for a new role, ensure your LinkedIn profile is presenting the best version of yourself. Make sure it is obvious what you have to offer in terms of your skillset, so make sure you include these skills on your page, so that when a head-hunter is searching for a particular skill, your profile will pop up.
Updating your CV on job boards is an easy way of being visible. Even if you just go on to a job board, view a couple of jobs, and then log out… the chances are, an hour later you get a few calls from recruiters! If your CV stands out, then you will be in high demand for being headhunted and making sure your CV is out there on the job boards is vital.
LINKEDIN 🔗
Having a LinkedIn page that highlights your professional career, qualifications, and skills is invaluable to asserting your professional online presence. Here are our top tips on maximising your profile:
🔸 Make sure you have a profile picture on your LinkedIn
Why? Without one you will not have the human touch that recruiters and head-hunters are looking for
🔸 Make sure you have your highest qualifications listed, as well as recent experience
🔸 Stress your achievements and anything that you are proud of
🔸 Ask colleagues to endorse your skills
Why? Endorsements are akin to presenting a readymade reference and are a great way to back up what you say about yourself.
🔸 Let recruiters know you’re open to opportunities – This will only be visible to recruiters in their searches, so no one else will know you’re looking for work, if you’re wishing to keep this private.
How? Simply, go to your privacy settings, and click ‘let recruiters know you’re open to opportunities’.
🔸 Be authentic and present: post content relevant to your profession
How? Share articles related to your industry / sector or you might even write your own blogs and create your own content. You are most likely to be headhunted if the image you’re aiming to portray is as transparent as possible. Aim to come across as both professional, and approachable, and remember to be wary of what you put online, remaining mindful that anything you post may be viewed by a potential employer.
NETWORKING 🕸️
Attending in-person events is a great way of getting your name out there, meeting head-hunters and like-minded individuals. Thanks to the pandemic, there are also an abundance of easily accessible virtual events out there, making networking more readily available. These can be found online, especially on platforms such as LinkedIn, so this is another great reason to make sure you’re connecting with the right people! Even things as simple as commenting on social media posts are considered effective networking techniques. The power of social media means networking is easier than ever; so, make sure you are active on LinkedIn, liking and commenting on posts, and sending out connection requests.
BE REALISTIC 💯
It is always flattering to be headhunted, but it’s a mistake to let it go to your head. A common error made by candidates is for them to assume that because they’ve been headhunted, and are therefore clearly desirable, they can demand their own terms.
Stay realistic with our top tips!
✨ Don’t assume you can request an unrealistic salary, simply because you’ve been headhunted
✨ Be open to the opportunity and connect, you never know where an open door may take you
✨Know your values, don’t be bought by an opportunity due to salary / benefits if it doesn’t align with your core values
✨ Stick to realistic expectations
LONG TERM 🔮
Even when you are not actively looking for work, be open to conversations, and connection requests. If you find yourself looking for work, you will be grateful for connections you’ve made along the way. For example, it may be a good idea to stay in touch with a recruiter even after they’ve landed you a job. Simply staying connected with them on LinkedIn may be fruitful, as they may be able to help you a second time around! Thinking of a recruiter as a long-term connection is a great idea and connecting with recruiters even if you’re not currently looking, may prove itself beneficial.
