1. Advanced Job Search
2. Communication
3. Documents
4. Getting Interviews
5. Interviewing
6. Research
7. Miscellaneous
8. Tools

by Gary Ames

            The headhunting business has very low barriers to entry.  A phone, a fax machine, and a list─voila you're in business!  Receptionists seem to come from central casting programmed with the same line: "Just send us a resume for our database….”Recruiters are superb intangible telephone salespeople. They tend to be a diverse lot tending toward charming and cynical.  Some have been known to fib.  They seek to gain control of you by insisting on urgency. 

            There are usually three advantages to calling recruiters are in the following order:

1.     Start right away setting up good calling habits. 

These are safe calls to gain live fire experience.  Experiment with tightening your oral campaign messages to short sound bites.

2.     Develop some rejection calluses. 

This is a crusty assortment of people.  I have low expectations for the ratio of getting past a screener and getting through to a recruiter.  But you will see this ratio improve with skill.  You can learn that persistence works here too!

3.     Your sales conversations could prompt consideration for a position.

            Start your conversation by asking whoever answers the phone, "Who in your firm handles MY FUNCTION or INDUSTRY?"  Next recite a distilled version of your bio.  Notice that secretaries and recruiters will only listen to you speak for about 15-20 seconds at a time on the phone–max.  And then only if you are saying high-density meaningful phrases.  They won't listen to mundane bullshit without interrupting you.

            When switched to a recruiter start your conversation "Hi, how are you, my name is ... and then go immediately into your quick bio.  The most common question will be to clarify your slot and then your salary and geographical requirements.

            Prepare and practice your lines and material until you are cool under fire.  Headhunters are sophisticated interviewers.  They are only interested in top candidates who posses all of their strict requirements.  You will become more fluent with your campaign content and evidence of claims, your features and benefits.  Know it so well that you can sound cool and thoroughly positive, even when you are nervous. 

            If the recruiter is currently working on an assignment where you might be a good fit he will ask you to fax a resume immediately, if not sooner.  If there is a current assignment, interrogate him on what his client wants.  He should have a "position specification sheet".  Remember, he is not your friend; he works for employers, yet is financially interested in making the match and will help you be the winning candidate.  Finally you can propose to meet face-to-face with the headhunter.  As with all job oriented contacts, close the conversation assertively: "How often shall I call you back?" 

            An empowering option is to put the shoe on the other foot and "qualify them."  Tell the receptionist that you won't just send your resume.  Say, "I want to know who I am dealing with."  Grill both the secretary and headhunter on their processes and their qualifications to deal with you.  "Do you work exclusively in my field?"  "Have you had assignments that match my background in the past year?"  "What would you do with my resume?"  "How would you work with me?" 

1. Advanced Job Search  2. Communication  3. Documents  4. Getting Interviews  5. Interviewing  6. Research  7. Miscellaneous  8. Tools