Headhunters - Who Do They Work for NOT YOU! - Career Pivot

Headhunters - Who Do They Work for NOT YOU! - Career Pivot Headhunters Copyright: boykung / 123RF Stock Photo HEADHUNTERS DO NOT WORK FOR JOB SEEKERS. Say that three times! If it seems like I am screaming, it is because I AM! Headhunters are external recruiters hired by companies to find candidates for specific positions. Hiring companies pay recruiters, either when the position is filled or sometime afterward. If the new employee does not perform and is let go, they may not get paid. Headhunters do not work for you! Client Story One of my clients has a fairly niche expertise in dealing with a specificgroup of C level executives. Let’s call her Sally. Sally was laid off from a company after having worked there for many years. When this happened, she wanted to move back into a job where she could work with C level executives again. Sally found a couple of headhunters who specialized in filling this kind of niche position. Both of these headhunters just loved her. You can bet they saw dollars…BIG dollars! Headhunter A had her interview for a very interesting position supporting a C level executive at a very interesting company. If I told you the position and company, you would say, “Boy, ain’t that interesting?” Listen to the most recent episode Sally did not get the job. In fact, although she was the top candidate, the company decided not to fill the position at that time. Headhunter A thought Sally performed amazingly well in the interviews and said he would find another position quickly. He still saw dollars! Next, Headhunter B came to the table with an opportunity. Sally started to run the gauntlet of interviews. Headhunter A quickly followed up with another amazing position. At this point, Sally had two opportunities that she was interviewing for from two different headhunters. REMEMBER, headhunters (external recruiters) only get paid when the position is successfully filled. For More:Why Are You Not Being Found? Try Thinking Like a Recruiter The Drama Begins Sally wanted the position from Headhunter A but thought the position with Headhunter B would be okay. Sally received verbal offers from both headhunters on the same day. She told Headhunter A that she wanted more money. She then told Headhunter B that the offer was okay as is. She told them both that she would need to see these offers in writing. Sally received offer letters from both on the same day. She accepted the first offer from Headhunter A, which was contingent upon passing a drug test and background check. Sally told Headhunter B that she was still thinking about this offer. Headhunter B threw a fit and started to attempt to bully her. She told Sally that she’d already accepted the offer on her behalf and had told the company she was starting on a specific date. WOW! Sally had not signed anything. Headhunter B saw the dollars disappearing, and she did not like it! She asked, “Do you have another offer?” Sally said yes. “Why didn’t you tell me?” “Both offers came in on the same day,” she said. Sally was not going to turn down Headhunter B’s job until she was absolutely sure she had the other job. Sally felt bullied and intimidated but also felt bad for the headhunter. She kept saying, “She is my headhunter…she is working for me!” I told her the headhunter screwed up big time. The headhunter had no business telling the companyâ€"her clientâ€"that Sally had accepted the position when she did not. Did this headhunter work for Sally? NO, SHE DID NOT. For More:You Have a Job Offer â€" Now What? When is a job offer irrefutable? A job offer is, well, as good as the paper it is printed on. Read Nick Crocodillo’s post, Pop Quiz: Can an employer take back a job offer? You might have received an offer on paper. You may have signed it and sent it back. Do you have the job? Most likely, but both sides can still back out at this point. This is true until you walk in for your first day of work. Is this ethical or fair? I don’t think so. But, when you are a 60+-year-old woman who does not have companies fawning all over you and you get two offers on the same day, you will make sure the offer you want does not fall through for any reason. If it does fall through, you will still have a backup plan. For More:Evaluating the Job Offer â€" What is Missing? Lessons Learned I encourage my clients who are either changing directions and looking for contracting work or have very niche job requirements to cozy up with multiple headhunters and external recruiters. Develop a relationship with these people, but realize that they do not work for you. Headhunters may know about: Niche positions that never get posted. Positions before they are posted. Headhunters can be valuable resourcesâ€"butthey do not work for you. Rant over! Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...