How to Find a Recruiter or Headhunter in Your Niche
Developing a relationship with a recruiter can help maximize your efforts in a job search, or even help you gain opportunities that you weren’t even aware you were looking for. When it comes to high-paying, executive positions, most companies aren’t advertising these roles on their normal Careers Page. To fill their most senior roles, companies typically hire an executive recruiter or headhunter. Connecting with recruiters in your area of expertise can be beneficial, even if you aren’t looking for a new opportunity. But, how do you find a recruiter or headhunter that can help you?
Tips for Finding a Headhunter or Recruiter
- Start within your personal network
- Do a Google Search
- Use a professional Directory
- Search on LinkedIn
Below you’ll find tips on how to best use each of these methods to find the right executive recruiter for you.
Start within Your Own Network
The best place to get started when trying to find a recruiter in your industry is your personal network. You might not know it, but chances are many of the senior executives you have worked with have used a headhunter at some point throughout their career. Reach out to people in your field to see if they can refer you to any recruiters.
Do a Google Search
Using keywords like “executive search,” “recruiting firms,” and “headhunters” with modifiers like your location and industry is an effective way to help build a list of headhunters in your area that can help you seek new opportunities.
Use an Online Recruiter Directory
While searching on Google, you might even come across online directories like BlueSteps.com, which sources the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC), a database of over 4,000 recruiters.
There are several online recruiter directories like BlueSteps available for use. These databases help you target your search a little more than using Google, by applying filters for your location and industry, plus they are usually more up-to-date.
Use LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a professional social network that allows members to connect with past and current colleagues, search for new jobs, and discover new business opportunities. Because of this, it is the largest business network in the world. With its advanced search function, the ability to connect (and ask for introductions) to other business professionals, and its messaging function – LinkedIn is a great way to not only find, but introduce yourself and develop relationships with recruiters and headhunters.
While some methods of finding the right headhunter may be more effective for you than others, it is important to your career growth to seek out these professionals for when you are ready to make your next big move.
