How to Headhunt Anyone: An Easy Three-step Process to Follow
Headhunting is still the best way to attract candidates. Candidates feel great when they are headhunted. It makes them feel all warm and cosy and wanted when done right.
Now headhunting is not sending a message via LinkedIn, that is not headhunting, that is the equivalent of sending a ‘D Pic’ on Tinder. LinkedIn is to headhunting, what Tinder is to romance.
True headhunting is engaging with the candidate, following a three-step process that identifies the correct candidates, approaches those candidates professionally and convinces them the opportunity is the right one for them, without being pushy or acting like a used car salesman.
Let's explore this 3-step process in more detail.
The 3-Step Headhunting Process
- Identify.
- Approach
- Convince.
All headhunting endeavours should follow this three-step process. Although it sounds simple, following this simple process effectively is difficult.
Before we deep dive into each stage of the process, let's also remember to tell our clients about how we headhunt. Remember to a client. what you do, how you do it and what to expect can be a mystery. Rarely do recruiters explain their secret source.
Be different.
Now let's dive into the 3-Step Headhunting Process: Identity, Approach and Convince.
Step One: Identify
Identifying a list of highly suitable candidates is your first stage in any headhunt. For this, you need to have a full and frank discussion with the client about the candidate they are looking for. Ideally with the manager who will make the hiring decision and who the candidate will report to.
You will need a Job Description (JD) and a Personal Specification (PS).
A JD (Job Description) covers the duties, responsibilities and accountabilities that the candidate who is placed will undertake daily.
A PS (Personal Specification) covers the knowledge, skills and experience that the hired candidate will be able to demonstrate.
Once you have these two documents you will need to have that in-depth discussion so that you can truly identify what on these documents is important, vital and fluff. Trust me, there can be fluff and there can (and normally are) things that have been missed off.
A benchmark candidate is also very useful as it can help you narrow down your search, giving you a template to emulate. This could be the last person in post, or a candidate the hiring manager has in mind, or has interviewed in the past.
With this information, you can begin to do your research to draw up a list of potentially suitable candidates who could fit into the role. Aim to get one candidate that ‘ticks all the boxes’ during this research phase and a number who you can also approach who are highly suitable.
Step Two: Approach
As we begin the approach phase of any recruitment, we do have to remember that candidates are people. A candidate is only a candidate in your eyes. Currently, they are just a person at work, doing their job and leading their life.
They do not see themselves as a ‘candidate’.
As you approach them you are going to be intruding into their life in some way or another. Although the statistic of 25% of people are looking for a job right now, that does not mean your call or email is going to be welcomed with open arms.
Now, as you are ready to approach candidates, always think of phone over email. Email might be quicker, but it is not as effective.
When phoning use a standard telephone script for each call. This will ensure that you have a “crux” mid-call should something unexpected come up.
Ask the same questions of each candidate (highlighted in the convince section below).
Document each call in the same way, so you can start to notice patterns that will help you in the future and in this current role. For instance, knowing a candidate is only looking for jobs in Southhampton will stop you from calling them for jobs in Winchester.
Documenting calls will also allow you to go back to clients if problems start to arise. It provides an evidence base to help them understand why they might not be able to hire.
Only email candidates after multiple attempts to get through to them via the telephone, as a last resort.
Step Three: Convince
Recruitment is about convincing candidates that are looking to move jobs, that this opportunity to explore. It is managing the interview process between the two parties and then smoothing out the offer and onboarding stage.
A good piece of recruitment starts with convincing first, and not sales.
Recruiting is about convincing people to move jobs, NOT unsettling them into moving. Far too many recruiters will harass candidates to move jobs and use high-pressure tactics at the offer stage. This is bad recruitment and will lead to more rejected offers and candidates not making their 3-month probation.
The convincing stage is subtle and will have many variables. However, they will all share the same key element: Asking Questions.
Asking Questions to Convince
Pushing a candidate rarely works, however, you ask the right questions, and listen. Listening very carefully to their responses allows you to provide an opportunity to explore the role.
The following questions will help you to understand what your candidate is looking for and motivated to move into a new role:
- Where do they see themselves in 3 years?
- What do they NOT like about their current role?
- What do they like about their current role?
- What salary would they consider making a move for, even if they are happy in their current role?
- Are they actively looking for a new role?
- What company culture do you thrive in?
- What are your professional goals?
- What are your personal goals?
Once you are clear they are motivated to make a move, and this role would be a good opportunity to explore, you can move into the convincing stage about ‘showing’ not ‘selling’. Showing them that the role would fit into the answers above.
Following this process of convincing through showing will lead to more motivated candidates sitting in front of clients.
Convincing cannot be done via email. Phone or in-person only.
Example: How I used this process
I was working on an assignment for a firm that worked in the North of England, that specialised in the property sector.
They had been struggling to recruit an Account Manager for months. Using the process above, I was able to attract candidates who had been initially put off the role.
Historically they had been based in an out-of-town location but had recently moved to a city centre location. By spotting this trend I was able to engage the right candidates, understand their needs, and convince them that the location was now commutable.
This led to placements as candidates who had been put off previously could now apply safe in the knowledge the commute was commutable.
Final Thoughts
This article is based on nearly 15 years of experience and the teaching of a number of experts, notably Warren Kemp.
Warren Kemp is a genius in the recruitment training community. I have had the pleasure to see him speak at many industry events and have even attended his ‘how to sell retainers’ training course.
Warren Kemp is a great trainer and his teaching on the above helped me. I hope my teaching, will help you to headhunt and place more candidates.
As Warren says “It’s not your client who pays your fee. He only writes the cheque.”
Next Steps
If you want to contact Warren, you can contact me at his website or on LinkedIn
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