| One of the best resources in your quest for a new | | | | candidate for the job. Period. |
| job is a professional recruiter, also called a | | | | Be prepared. You'll waste both your time and the |
| headhunter. And despite a commonly held | | | | recruiter's time if you show up unprepared to discuss |
| misconception, headhunters aren't only for | | | | your work history and provide documentation of |
| executives; they recruit everyone from truck drivers | | | | previous employment. Are you vague about how |
| to doctors. Companies with open positions often turn | | | | many years you spent at the company you left to |
| to recruiters to save themselves a lot of time and | | | | join your current firm? Look it up before you go. |
| effort, so headhunters may be looking for someone | | | | Have you written down the contact information for |
| exactly like you right now. If you stick with the tips | | | | at least three professional references? If not, do it! |
| below, you'll automatically put yourself head and | | | | Ask questions. You probably have a million |
| shoulders above many other candidates because | | | | questions about how this whole process works, and |
| most people simply don't know how to work with a | | | | that's actually a good thing. As any other interviewer |
| headhunter. | | | | would, a recruiter welcomes questions because it |
| Act the part. Perhaps the biggest mistake people | | | | demonstrates that you're interested. Ask the |
| make when working with recruiters is not going all | | | | headhunter if he has experience in recruiting for |
| out to impress them. A headhunter isn't finding you a | | | | positions like yours, how long he's been in the |
| job out of the goodness of her heart-she's getting | | | | recruiting business, what some of his successes have |
| paid to supply quality candidates to a client company. | | | | been, how long he anticipates the search taking, |
| And she's not going to put you in front of top-dollar | | | | what you can do to speed the process, etc. The |
| clients if she's unsure about your ability to present | | | | most successful headhunter-job hunter relationships |
| yourself professionally. So act like you're on a job | | | | are two-way streets: you need to be a good |
| interview when you meet with a headhunter because | | | | candidate, and he needs to be a good recruiter. |
| you are. Be professional. Don't meet with her in your | | | | Bring your own ideas. If you have a very niched |
| sweats, with two-day stubble, and wearing a ball cap. | | | | job, it's probably best to work with a headhunter |
| Sell your accomplishments. To help recruiters do | | | | who only recruits for positions such as yours. But |
| the best job for you, you need to demonstrate how | | | | most headhunters recruit for a wide variety of |
| great you are so that they can pinpoint a job that's a | | | | positions and for many companies, which makes it |
| perfect match for you. Sell yourself and what you've | | | | difficult for them to stay on top of every single job |
| accomplished. Your headhunter wants to know the | | | | possibility for plumbers through scientists. If you're a |
| answers to these two questions: "What have you | | | | hair stylist, for example, salons and spas are going to |
| made?" and "What have you saved?" As in, how | | | | be where your recruiter will probably look first for |
| much money have you made or saved for your | | | | you. But if you know that cruise ships employ |
| company? This is a business, and you'll go to work if | | | | thousands of stylists and may be a good route to |
| you can demonstrate results. | | | | try, speak up. Remember, collaboration is the secret |
| Don't get too comfortable. Job hunters often | | | | to finding you a great new job. |
| make the mistake of thinking that a recruiter is their | | | | Pump your headhunter for information. Once |
| friend. He's not. Act the same way you would in a | | | | she's secured an interview for you, make sure you |
| traditional interview: don't bash your current | | | | receive as much information as possible from your |
| employer, don't blame other people for your | | | | recruiter before you go in front of a potential |
| mistakes, don't make excuses, and don't come | | | | employer. Your recruiter likely not only knows |
| across as angry about your current job situation. A | | | | pertinent details about the company-what their |
| headhunter isn't your therapist or your mother. Good | | | | products and services are-but also something about |
| recruiters represent the best interests of the clients | | | | the person or team who will be interviewing you. |
| who've hired them to fill a position. So to get them | | | | Ask, too, if other people have interviewed for this |
| to work hard for you, you need to be the best | | | | job and what mistakes they may have made. |