Job Hunting

[DegenerateDish]

I'm burnt out at my current job, and I think there was a previous topic on this, but I was curious besides networking with people you know, using LinkedIn or a similar career finding website, has anyone worked individually with a headhunter?

In my career, I've been lucky in that I haven't had to really ever proactively hunt for a new job, in my current job, a recruiter called me out of the blue a few years back, I was happy in my current job, but couldn't turn down the offer for the job that I have now.

Obviously a lot of people on here with vastly different careers, I've been in IT sales for forever, and since it's always easier to find a job when you already have one, I'm going to stick my toes in the water for the first time in basically a really long time, and trying to figure out where to start outside of the obvious.

[#UnleashSean]

Usually use a combo of LinkedIn, indeed, and glass door. For my current job I got a call from the ceo though. I'm in love with this one.

[MUfan12]

I'm burnt out at my current job, and I think there was a previous topic on this, but I was curious besides networking with people you know, using LinkedIn or a similar career finding website, has anyone worked individually with a headhunter?

My experience with headhunters comes from the hiring side, but I'd only work with ones who specialize in the specific industry you're targeting. Their contacts are much stronger.

The headhunters that work on anything typically don't have a very strong grasp of their client's need and in turn, probably don't understand the fit you're looking for.

[mu03eng]

Follow, very burnt out in my current role and at my company. Contemplating a move into sales based role but for the first time in my career I'm thinking about leaving the company I've been at my whole corporate life. Also have two kids under 4 so not really feeling all that risky. Current job has great work life balance and decent compensation but it is completely unsatisfying and while there are plenty of challenges they are almost all due to leadership incompetence and bad culture

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Follow, very burnt out in my current role and at my company. Contemplating a move into sales based role but for the first time in my career I'm thinking about leaving the company I've been at my whole corporate life. Also have two kids under 4 so not really feeling all that risky. Current job has great work life balance and decent compensation but it is completely unsatisfying and while there are plenty of challenges they are almost all due to leadership incompetence and bad culture

I hated sales with young kids.

Of course, i hated sales with pre-teens, will hate it as an empty nester some day...

[real chili 83]

Headhunters work for the people who pay them. Period.

The good ones are good at listening to you, but they still work for those that pay them.

The best ones will be honest and tell you that.

You if you are good, headhunters have a purpose.

[dgies9156]

Headhunters work for the people who pay them. Period.

The good ones are good at listening to you, but they still work for those that pay them.

The best ones will be honest and tell you that.

You if you are good, headhunters have a purpose.

Truer words have never been spoken.

I wish you luck. I know the feeling you are facing Brother Dish, and trust me, you will find what you want.

[MU82]

I wish you the best, Dish and mu03.

Please keep us posted as to how things turn out.

[Benny B]

Important to keep in mind with recruiters/headhunters... there are three basic types: retained search, contingency, and contract placement.  Although they may go by different names in different locales/industries, they all follow one of three business models:

Retained search is an exclusive assignment where the agency is paid a portion of the fee upfront with the bulk of the fee coming due after the hire is made.  Typically used only for highly specialized jobs (executives, physicians, etc) and/or hard-to-place locales since the upfront fee is non-refundable (depending on the difficulty of the search, the company may have to pay some or all of the back-end fee even if no hire is made).  Example: a hospital in Minot, ND has an opening for a pediatric oncologist... that’s going to be a retained search.  But a pediatrician opening in Des Plaines likely would not.

Obviously, a contingency search is exactly that... the recruiter doesn't earn a fee unless a hire is made.  But there are typically two other distinctions between retained and contingency: a) the most significant difference is that in many cases, it’s not exclusive, i.e. you could get calls from three different recruiters who are working to fill the exact same assignment and b) they may not even be working an assignment at all, i.e. they’re going to take your resume and shop you around to their contact list in the hopes someone will bite.  In other words, the recruiter goes on a fishing expedition and you’re the bait.

Contract placement essentially functions as a temp-to-hire agency for professionals.  Most always they have an active assignment to fill but it’s not always exclusive.  So again, you might get three calls for the same job, but the primary difference is that, unlike retained and contingency, it is not a direct hire... technically, you’re being employed by the recruiter for a period of time (the standard is usually 90 days, but it can vary depending on the job/company) and only after that period expires can you actually be hired by the company.  In fact, the company maybe locked out from making you an offer - or even discussing permanent hire - until the 90 days (or whatever) expires since, again - unlike retained and contingency - there is no fee for the recruiter (at least right away)... they make their money by marking up your wage by 30-65% (e.g. if your wage is $45/hr, the recruiter is paying you $45/hr but the company is paying the recruiter $60/hr or more).  One thing to be aware of here, is that contract agencies may not earn a fee if you’re ultimately hired by the company, and even if they do, it’s nominal at best.  So ultimately, it’s in the recruiter’s best interests to extend your assignment and keep you on their payroll as long as they can... in other words, a contract recruiter isn’t as motivated to see you hired permanently as would be a retained or contingent recruiter. 


[There is also one more type of agency who charges you (yet sometimes even still gets a fee from the company).  I don’t consider these recruiters/headhunters in the traditional sense because they function more as talent agencies than they do as employment agencies.  Sure, if you’re looking to break into a new field or you’re entry-level, this might be an option; otherwise, don’t pay someone for something any other recruiter is going to do anyway.]

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Follow, very burnt out in my current role and at my company. Contemplating a move into sales based role but for the first time in my career I'm thinking about leaving the company I've been at my whole corporate life. Also have two kids under 4 so not really feeling all that risky. Current job has great work life balance and decent compensation but it is completely unsatisfying and while there are plenty of challenges they are almost all due to leadership incompetence and bad culture

I was an engineer for 20 years and have transitioned to Technical Sales the last several years.  Was an Application Engineer for 5 years at one company now essentially doing the same with much more added responsibilities of sales tasks at another.  (A few engineering duties thrown in since it's a 30 person company.)  It's been much more rewarding work-wise.

[Herman Cain]

Don't over complicate it. Talk to people you know on a research basis. They will point you in the right direction.   Find potential opportunities and situations that fit your circumstances and skill set. If that involves a headhunter great, if not that is fine too.  Since you are burnt out, you need to find something that you have a modicum of passion for.

Figure out best possible approach to contacting CEO.  I always pay attention to the people who take time to understand my business and have the gumption to contact me. From there see if you can develop the opportunity to something that is actionable.  You are a salesman , you know how to close once you get in the door.

[Bad_Reporter]

I can’t recall the company, but my wife used a headhunter for her second job.

She was very satisfied with the process. I think her gripe was the insurance was lousy since it was through the temp agency, but eventually after a year and a half she was hired full time as an electrical engineer doing ARC flash risk assessments. 

If I can help anyone in the electrical/sensors field, please let me know. I know she needs at least 3 more people on her team.

[mu03eng]

I was an engineer for 20 years and have transitioned to Technical Sales the last several years.  Was an Application Engineer for 5 years at one company now essentially doing the same with much more added responsibilities of sales tasks at another.  (A few engineering duties thrown in since it's a 30 person company.)  It's been much more rewarding work-wise.

Yeah, I'm looking into the potential of a solutions type sales role, essentially come in and be product agnostic....figure out what the customers outcomes are and make recommendations on how they can be achieved with the various products from my company and partners. I like problem solving and I like interacting with people so it seems interesting though at no point in my career would I have ever considered anything sales, but I just can't deal with the politics and the lack of leadership within the corporate business units anymore.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Yeah, I'm looking into the potential of a solutions type sales role, essentially come in and be product agnostic....figure out what the customers outcomes are and make recommendations on how they can be achieved with the various products from my company and partners. I like problem solving and I like interacting with people so it seems interesting though at no point in my career would I have ever considered anything sales, but I just can't deal with the politics and the lack of leadership within the corporate business units anymore.

That's where I was in 2007 at my then company.  At that time after a period of rewarding large new product development projects they completely switched gears and then there was politics and lack of leadership thing with some what I considered unethical decisions thrown in.  I left for more interesting Sales Engineer position until the very quick arrival of the Great Rescission, a lay-off and I had to work my way back going back to Manufacturing Eng, then to Application Eng, finally to Sales Eng Manager where I'm at now. 

[Marquette Gyros]

Was always under the impression that you don’t find headhunters, headhunters find you (usually via word of mouth first, failing that LinkedIn).

In other words, damn near impossible to send your resume to a headhunter and have them take your case.

Is this right or nah?

[warriorchick]

Was always under the impression that you don’t find headhunters, headhunters find you (usually via word of mouth first, failing that LinkedIn).

In other words, damn near impossible to send your resume to a headhunter and have them take your case.

Is this right or nah?

Works both ways. Headhunters are always looking for people, even if they don't have a specific assignment for that particular background at that time.

[MU82]

Works both ways. Headhunters are always looking for people, even if they don't have a specific assignment for that particular background at that time.

Kinda like college hoops coaches: Always Be Recruiting.

[Benny B]

Works both ways. Headhunters are always looking for people, even if they don't have a specific assignment for that particular background at that time.

This. 

Most recruiters get a nice bonus if they generate business (a new assignment) for the firm/agency... presenting a knock-your-socks-off resume to a client (or potential client) is a quick way to not just generate an assignment but also to fill it in one shot.

In other words, a stand-out resume is easy money for a recruiter.  If the recruiter is good, they'll find you a job whether a company is hiring or not.