Headhunter – Lucy
Headhunter – Lucy
Listen to Susan interviewing headhunter Lucy ; better known as a recruitment consultant in London.
Lucy gives some valuable interview tips and insights for job seekers during the interview.
On a daily basis you’d be talking to your clients and a number of people that you feel would be right for the role. Your work would involve negotiating fees and salaries between your client and the individual, and interviewing the top candidates.
As a headhunter you could work for various kinds of employment agency that deals with a wide range of office based and commercial jobs, or for a more specialised organisation. You’d be dealing with permanent or temporary work at all levels for many industry sectors.
Many start off working in an industry and then, once they’re familiar with it, become head hunters for that sector, seeking out talent using the contacts and knowledge they’ve acquired.
The work would be mainly desk-based, but travel would be needed frequently in the search for the best talent. Meeting with employers is also likely and so a driving licence would be needed for most jobs.
Although it is not always necessary to have a four-year degree, many employers strongly prefer candidates to have some degree in an applicable field, like labour relations, business administration, human resources, etc.
Employers also consider candidates who have non-business backgrounds, which is fairly typical of a position that requires a high degree of people interaction.
A headhunter’s soft skills must be superb, as they constantly have to function in the middle of several parties who have a stake in the process.
The hirer and the hiree both need to be handled and satisfied in the process, or sometimes the headhunter does not receive commission or payment, or if employed internally, does not meet company goals.
They also have to have knowledge of and keep up on what are sometimes constantly changing federal, state and local regulations on human resource activity.
Their job is also to help reduce risk to their client/employer who is hiring employees, so a keen intelligence and an ability to accurately read people is more than important.
Headhunters must be extremely self-motivated and tenacious, not giving up easily in the face of opposition.
Many of them are very stubborn, and this stubbornness can serve them well in their career.
Becoming a headhunter, or recruiter, depends more on experience than anything else.
Seven things a headhunter won’t tell you.
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