Career Advice

Suggestions from a Headhunter on Getting a Job

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A good headhunter can earn a pretty good living by matching job seekers and employers, but there are always those who wonder if their service is really worth their fees. After all, couldn’t a job seeker just get on Craigslist or any other job site and do the job without them? Couldn’t an employer simply advertise their need on their website?

The reason headhunters can command such a high fee is that they do more than just find a competent employee. They are tasked with finding an exact match for a company – someone who fills a specific need.

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04/19/2024 01:26 am GMT

Of course, even a headhunter won’t go to a company with just a single prospective employee because, despite any coaching and counseling they might provide, the job seeker could still drop the ball during the interview. If you really want to get a job, if you are really qualified to do the work, you need to do your part to present yourself as the person who can help them succeed.

What to Do

As soon as you are asked for an interview, your preparations need to begin. Most job seekers simply assume that this means preparing the stock answers to questions like: “Where do you see yourself in five years?” or “What do you feel are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?” Most headhunters will tell you, though, that this is not enough. This means you are simply waiting for the questions about your history, when you should be focusing on the company’s future, and how successful it can be if it involves you.

The reason headhunters can command such a high fee is that they do more than just find a competent employee. They are tasked with finding an exact match for a company – someone who fills a specific need.Click To Tweet

You should be prepared to show the company exactly how they will benefit from your skills and experience, and this will require a lot more research on your part. You need to know about the company before you go into the interview – their culture, goals, successes, and needs – so you can present yourself as the ideal candidate for the position.

If you are using the interview as a chance to find out more about the job or the company, you’re already too late. You can find out about the job expectations by connecting with some of the current employees or speaking with others who may have left the company. When you can put together a type of profile for the job position, you will know exactly how (and if) you will fit in.

What Not to Do

We all know that times are tough, but that doesn’t mean that you should go into a job interview looking desperate for work. No one will hire you out of pity. Finding work shouldn’t be about what you need, it should be about what you can do. A desperate plea for a job tells the employer that you only looking to take their money, not to do the work that will help them succeed.

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04/22/2024 02:28 pm GMT

That doesn’t mean you should act like you don’t care if you get the job or not, though. You should always look like you want the job and that you’re excited about the opportunity and, most importantly, that you are capable of doing the work.

Solve a Problem

Headhunters are hired to solve a company’s problem by filling a specific need. They are not out there looking for the ability to do work. They are trying to find someone who will contribute to the future of the company. Getting work means finding out what the company really needs and deciding if your skills will provide a lasting benefit. Think of ways you can use your research on the company to turn the same old Q&A-type interview into a presentation of how you will make the business succeed.



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