Seeking Help: How Do You Approach Headhunting in Recruitment?

Hi all,

I would appreciate the recruitment experts to help me in preparing a PPT on headhunting. What are the various ways of headhunting?

Thanks,
Maria

For headhunting, you need to be creative in your approach and be able to use your network and references well.

For instance, I have an opening for Manager HR in an FMCG. I know that there was a person, A, at some time working with another FMCG, say PepsiCo. All I know is his name and his tenure with PepsiCo. His numbers have changed, and I am not able to get in touch with him directly.

There is another chap, B, who also worked in PepsiCo at the same time as this HR guy.

Now I get in touch with B, asking if he is still in touch with A?

He tells you that he is not in touch but he knows that A had joined Wrigley's.

Now you check if you know someone in Wrigley's (any department).

Yes - You call your contact in Wrigleys and therefore reach A.

No - You call Wrigley's Boardline and make up stories so that your call is put through and you reach A.

Remember, during a cold call on the board line, you have to be very sure of what you say because generally any anonymous calls are transferred to the HR Dept as a retention tool. Any HR department would not let anyone trap its talent. :wink:

Also, there could be linked to industry mapping.

Hope it was useful.

Best Regards

Hello, I have been doing headhunting for the past 6 months.

Depending on the requirement, I target different companies in that sector!

For example, if I am recruiting a Testing Engineer, I call the board number of a target company and ask the front desk person to connect me to Ashok or Patrick Richardson in the QA Team. I do not reveal my identity there. I may mention that he is my childhood friend or a distant relative, etc. Once connected to the candidate, I reveal my identity to that person only. This approach has worked for me many times!

For international headhunting, I target different companies depending on work orders. For example, if I am recruiting a Clinical Research Associate, I call the company and inform the front desk that I am calling from SOCRA (Society for Clinical Research Associates) and I want to get in touch with CRAs to invite them to a conference. This way, I can connect with various people in the company.

I hope this information is useful to you! All the best!

Goodbye,

Karuna

Too Good Karuna, the tact of poaching is really wonderful. I still remember when I was in ITES recruitment. I used to screen the people, be it calls from Hutch/Airtel customer care, or Just Dial services, receptionists. But I didn't know the term HEAD HUNTING then. Thanks. This time I would try the targeted company's board line as the job specifications changed now.

Sari