How To Be An Executive Recruiter

If you're thinking about becoming an construction executive recruiters the more you know about the daily life of a recruiter the easier it will be to make your decision. Headhunters work on commission. They get paid when the candidate they find starts work. Smart recruiters get paid within 5 days of the start date. We call ourselves consultants, and we are, however headhunting is a sales position. If you have a background in sales you're one step ahead. If not, some sales training will serve you well.

Every day is a blank slate when you're an Executive Recruiter. This means you'll be in charge of determining what actions you'll take. All actions should be geared toward making placements. If you allow distractions to invade your schedule, you'll fall behind and never make a placement.

If the thought of speaking to 15 - 20 people a day sounds awful to you, recruiting is not the right fit for your personality. Cold calling will be part of your life. We initiate conversations with strangers. Talking on the phone is how we make our living. If you're a strategic thinker, and able to make decisions quickly you could excel in recruiting.

There are about 25 - 30 steps in each placement. About 25% of deals go smoothly. 75% of all placements zigzag to the goal line. It's mandatory to know the placement process and prepare for surprises that occur in each phase of the process. Every deal is unique and each person is unique. There are no perfect candidates and no perfect employers. We are matchmakers.

Recruiters fail because they don't take time to learn the process and develop their skills. When they run into brink walls they back up and run into the same wall the same way. Ouch. Preparation is the key to success. Brains beat brawn every day of the week.

Recruiters fail when they don't consistently call new candidates. Headhunters earn the most because they approach passive candidates. They ask for referrals and get referrals. The best candidates are happily employed when we first contact them. They've not been shopping their resumes online. Most don't even have a resume prepared and that's just fine. 80% of recruiters chase the 20% of candidates who have put themselves in cyberspace or are actively looking for a job because they don't have one. The odds of success increase dramatically when you focus on the other 80%.

It's not hard to succeed as an Executive Recruiter. First, know your role. You must learn (training will help) how to convey authority without actually having a powerful title. Follow the process. Manage the process by asking questions and listening carefully. Be thorough; don't skip steps. Stay cool. Changing jobs and hiring negotiations can be stressful. Your clients and candidates will vent their frustrations to you. That's exactly what you want. That means both parties trust you enough to voice their concerns. They believe you can fix the problem so you better have some solutions!

The secret to success is to stay focused on the objectives of each phase of the placement process. Keep things simple. When situations start to go haywire remind everyone involved what the goal is and then tell them how to get there. Don't get caught up in any drama; it's not your job. Your job is to bring together the best candidate for the position with the client who would love you to fill a key vacancy.

Headhunters become heroes only when the deal is done. One final tip for succeeding as an executive recruiter: Make sure you have multiple deals in play at the same time. If you're depending on a $20,000 fee to pay your bills and the deal gets postponed, you're screwed, to put it mildly. When you have 4 - 6 placements in play if one falls apart it's okay. Multiple deals in motion means you'll have placements and big fat fees rolling into your hands.

If becoming a Headhunter appeals to your sense of adventure and personality here's a little advice. Get training on how to be an Executive Recruiter. Polish your selling skills and interviewing skills. Choose two industries. Start memorizing questions and thinking about how a deal can go wrong. Preparation is important if you want to succeed. With these minimum skill sets in hand you can start making placements!