Head Hunting

Ever asked yourself how did they know my name or how do they know me?

This is a question that many professional people ask themselves whenever they are called for a high ranged position within a certain company after being head hunted by a headhunting consultant.

Worry no more. This is called head hunting services where by the head hunting company or agency know exactly where and how to find the right candidate for a specific position through different connection and networks.

This are the ways the head hunters come to know of their potential candidates.

This is through making an effort to be visible and social through going to forums, lunchtime seminars or conferences in your industry and simply talk to people. Ensure that you participate in this forum and also make sure your name, title and organization are on all of the attendance lists of events. Many head-hunters scan these for contacts.

2. Exchange of card freely

Swapping of cards freely at functions enlarges your social network. Do a follow up on the networking maxim; if you give something out it may come back in a different way. Give Referee of another person once approached by one head-hunter about a role, that doesn’t interest you. That way one makes a future ally of someone professionally useful in the long term when he or she is contacted by a recruitment agency on a head hunting assignment.

3. Be well-rounded professional

Head-hunters and staff and executive recruitment firms will target you if you are well rounded in your career. The head-hunting agencies especially in East Africa (Kenya Uganda Tanzania and) seek people who have developed themselves and contributed to their industry. Head hunters will search for people who have published, spoken at conferences, perhaps volunteered their professional skills or even set up a blog. Head Hunters will go for people who are well known for their skills and ability. Don’t forget head hunting agencies also offer training and conference services and they may have known about you from a conference.

4. Put yourself online, BUT be aware of your presence

Whatever you put online is in the public domain. Many employers and staff recruitment agencies routinely check LinkedIn and the like. They know it’s wrong. They know there’s a legal minefield attached to potential discrimination issues, but they do it. What this means for you is that you need to manage your professional persona even on social networking sites. If you want to be searchable, keep your profile open. But keep it clean and keep it interesting.

Also be aware that many of the comments you put on these sites, go further than the sites themselves. Your comments can end up in Google searches, so do a vanity search and keep a regular eye on your profile and what your friends may post.

Many of the head-hunters are very nosy to know what you do online and therefore Google your name and will keep Googling. Therefore, put yourself in the mind of an employer who is digging for dirt.

5. Know the difference between a head-hunter and a recruitment consultant

A professional head-hunter will arrange to meet you at a time of your convenience. They will answer all your questions readily and if they don’t know the answer, they’ll quickly find out.

You can also tell the professionalism of a head-hunter by the quality of the questions they ask you, the closeness of their relationship with their client and that they will always make themselves available to talk through your concerns.

Note most recruitment agencies offer the wide range of recruitment services including staff recruitment, executive recruitment, executive search, executive selection, and head hunting

Career Options Africa Limited with offices in Nairobi Kenya, Dar es Salaam Tanzania, Kampala Uganda and Kigali Rwanda is one of the most reputable head hunter in East Africa