How Does a Staffing Exec Get Headhunted?
4 Tips to Discreetly Put Yourself on the Career Radar
A results driven senior vice president. You’re prime for taking the next step in your career and would be a great catch for any staffing firm lucky enough to have you.
As a staffing industry pro, you’re no stranger to the game attracting and acquiring great talent but when it comes to landing a new opportunity for yourself this is where it can get a little tricky. Regardless of how skilled you are your talent alone may not open career doors for you.
Consider these four tips to raise your flag on the career radar.
1. Earn a Reputation
Don’t make the mistake of letting your career develop in a silo. Many of us (me included) become myopically focused and invest one hundred percent of their attention to X (?). While it’s a great idea to be known as a Rockstar within your current company, there’s tremendous benefit to earning a reputation outside of those four walls. To put yourself on the Career Radar, you must put yourself out there. Don’t just go to seminars and conferences . . . be an active participant. Take part in online forums. Share your insights and wisdom in LinkedIn posts. Catch the attention of others and earn the right to be seen as a respected industry peer.
2. Get All Dressed Up, Digitally That Is
The phrase, “all dressed up with nowhere to go” doesn’t apply here. It’s essential to dress up and maintain your digital persona. Trust me, it will be checked. Update your social media profiles, comment on other’s posts, offer helpful advice and definitely be sure to reply to comments on yours like it’s your job! Make it easy for headhunters to recognize what a star you are through your positive contributions, by linking to articles or books you have published, events you have spoken at, and your professional blog, if you have one.
3. Say Yes More
If you are approached to have a conversation, always say yes. You may not be interested just now, but you can use the meeting to assess the market, learn about current salaries, and discover what is hot in your sector. You can also share pertinent information about yourself with the headhunter – and this could help improve your chances of being approached when the time is right for you.
4. Don’t Be a Jerk
When you receive a call from an executive recruiter, don’t be a jerk, be authentic and helpful. Even if the role is not for you, remember your network. Is there another person you might consider perfect and potentially available? Being a jerk will you no friends and damage your chances of being approached in the future. Being helpful, on the other hand, will help you build rapport, and this will put you at the top of the list to be called next time.
There’s One Question We Won’t Answer
When we do reach out to you, it’s most often because someone clearly sees how wicked your skills are and have pointed us in your direction. However, our sources are confidential, just like our clients and our candidates. So, the one question we won’t answer is how we got your name.
To learn more about our executive search services, or to touch base about your career, contact EnabledForce today.