Communication with Headhunters – What Really Matters?

Being contacted by a headhunter can be an opportunity to advance your career and possibly find a new professional challenge. Professional and effective communication with headhunters can help you stand out from other candidates and increase your chances of a successful placement. But what is important to keep in mind?

Today, we’re talking about this with Dr. Ruth Vijande Rodríguez from the international personnel consulting firm, "Rodríguez International Consulting."

Ms. Rodríguez, how important are transparency and openness in communication with headhunters?

Transparency and openness are very important when communicating with headhunters. Recruiters specialize in finding qualified candidates for positions that are crucial to their clients. To do this, they need to fully understand what the client is looking for and what skills, experiences, and qualities a candidate must have to be successful.

If you, as a candidate, are not transparent and open about your skills, experiences, and career goals, it will be difficult for the headhunter to find a suitable position for you. Additionally, you should also be transparent about your current position and employer. For example, if you’re interested in changing jobs but are still working at your current position, you should inform the headhunter. This allows them to discreetly help you find a new role while preserving your confidentiality.

Receiving a call from a headhunter is certainly a reason to be excited, but it’s no reason to be overly enthusiastic or naive. If a headhunter refuses to provide you with information, proceed with caution. Keep in mind that some vacancies are filled discreetly, and the headhunter may be instructed to reveal information at a later stage.

Overall, transparency and openness are crucial to ensure successful collaboration with headhunters and to advance your career.

To what extent does communication with headhunters influence decisions in the application process?

Communication with headhunters can significantly influence decisions in the application process because headhunters are often the first point of contact for potential candidates and play an important role in introducing candidates to companies.
When a headhunter recommends a candidate, that person is often given higher priority because the headhunter has convinced the company that this candidate is qualified and suitable for the open position.

Headhunters also provide valuable insights and information about the company and the open position that can be relevant for the application process. If a candidate communicates well with the headhunter and keeps them informed about their skills, experiences, and career goals, the headhunter can use this information to help the candidate find suitable positions and companies.

Keeping social media profiles up to date

How can you best maintain contact with headhunters?

It’s important to build and maintain a good relationship with headhunters by sharing your experiences and career goals with them, expanding your network, and keeping in regular contact. This increases your chances of being recommended for suitable positions by headhunters.

There are several ways to maintain contact with headhunters:

Keep your Xing/LinkedIn profile up to date: LinkedIn is an important platform for headhunters to find potential candidates. Make sure your profile is up to date and contains relevant information about your experiences, skills, and career goals.
Track the work of headhunters: Follow which positions headhunters are filling and which companies they are supporting. If you find positions that interest you, you can reach out to the headhunter and recommend yourself for the role.
Meet with headhunters regularly: If you’ve already worked with headhunters, try to maintain contact and meet or call them regularly. Keep in mind, though, that headhunters are often under time pressure. They are sometimes mistaken for career or even life coaches, which they may offer as an additional service but falls under "extra."
Offer your help: If you have contacts in your network that might be of interest to headhunters, offer your help by recommending potential candidates. This shows that you’re interested in a long-term relationship and are willing to support the headhunter in their work.

How do you handle misunderstandings in communication with headhunters?

If you are not interested in a change from the outset, then say so directly.
If there are later misunderstandings in communication with headhunters, it is important to clarify these as quickly as possible in order to avoid possible negative effects on your career or your chances of obtaining a particular position.
Here are some steps you can take to clear up misunderstandings:
Speak directly to the headhunter. Try to identify the cause of the misunderstanding and understand how it came about.
Remain professional and polite during the conversation. Avoid reacting emotionally or being rude. This can only exacerbate the problem and damage the relationship with the headhunter.
Make sure you have agreed on the next steps at the end of the conversation. Confirm what each of you will do to resolve the misunderstanding and set a timeframe.

Overall, it is important to clarify misunderstandings in communication with headhunters as quickly as possible and to have an open and professional discussion.

How do you assess the professionalism and competence of headhunters in terms of communication?

The professionalism and competence of headhunters in communication can vary depending on the individual headhunter’s experience and training. However, there are some general standards by which the professionalism and competence of headhunters can be judged:

A headhunter should be able to provide accurate and complete information about the position and the company they are recruiting for. They should also be able to protect confidential information and work discreetly.
A headhunter should be able to respond to the candidate’s needs and expectations and communicate clearly and precisely.
A professional headhunter should regularly provide feedback and keep the candidate informed about the progress of the application process, ideally responding to inquiries or emails within 24 to 48 hours.

Building a relationship with a headhunter who can communicate professionally and competently is important. Good communication is a key factor when searching for a new job, and a professional headhunter can make this search more effective and successful.

How important is a quick and timely response to inquiries from headhunters?

This depends on your initial position: Did the headhunter contact you regarding a specific position, or are you proactively reaching out to the headhunter? If you're interested and respond quickly to a headhunter's inquiry, you can stand out from the crowd.

A quick response allows you to outpace your competition and gives you an advantage, especially when a headhunter is reaching out to multiple candidates. It also signals that you are motivated and highly interested in the position.

Moreover, it shows that you are reliable and trustworthy. A quick response indicates a professional work ethic and your readiness to take the necessary steps to secure a position.

Headhunters often work with tight deadlines, especially when filling specific roles. Responding quickly ensures you remain in the running and aren’t left behind by waiting too long.

Overall, a quick and timely response to inquiries from headhunters can increase your chances of landing a particular position and boost your career prospects.

How can one use social media or other digital channels to communicate with headhunters?

Personnel consultancies and headhunters use a variety of channels to directly approach candidates. Social media and other digital channels can be very useful. Here are some common digital channels used to communicate with headhunters:

Xing and LinkedIn: These are the most well-known platforms for career opportunities and are frequently used by headhunters to find potential candidates. Therefore, it’s important to have a complete and up-to-date profile and regularly network and share content to increase your visibility.

Many companies and headhunting agencies use career websites and job portals to post job offers and find candidates. Regularly checking for new job offers and applying early can improve your chances of being considered.

Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook can also be useful for contacting headhunters and staying informed about career opportunities. Headhunting agencies and recruiters often share job postings and industry news on their social media channels.

However, it’s important to ensure you use these channels professionally and respond appropriately and promptly to any inquiries from headhunters.

How should you handle unwanted contact from headhunters?

The response largely depends on your interest in the position and the professionalism of the approach. If the offer doesn’t appeal to you, a brief response thanking them for their interest is usually appropriate.

If you're not interested in a new career opportunity, you can politely respond and explain that you’re currently not looking for new challenges.

You can also explain politely that you’re focusing on certain types of positions and ask to be contacted if such a position becomes available.

If you no longer wish to receive further contact from a particular headhunter, you can block the sender or mark their emails as spam.

It’s important to remain respectful and professional in all situations, as headhunters can play a crucial role in career development, and they may consider you for future opportunities.

How do you assess the communication skills of headhunters, and how do they influence HR department decisions?

Around 15% of company positions are filled through headhunters.

The communication skills of headhunters can significantly impact HR department decisions, particularly when it comes to attracting top talent for a position. An experienced headhunter can help HR departments identify and recruit potential candidates faster and more efficiently. On the other hand, poor communication from a headhunter can damage the relationship between HR departments and potential candidates, leading to candidates withdrawing from the process or not applying at all.

Thus, it’s important that headhunters possess excellent communication skills to ensure smooth and effective collaboration with HR departments and to help secure top talent for positions.

What tips can you give applicants in this context?

Polite and professional communication with headhunters can help build a good relationship and enhance your reputation.
Be open in your communication with headhunters. This can help ensure that you are informed about suitable career opportunities and that your profile is better understood.
Clarify your career goals and expectations early on. This helps headhunters find suitable career opportunities for you and saves your time and energy.
If a headhunter brings a position to your attention, you should be well-prepared for the application process. Make sure your application documents are complete and up-to-date, and that you have researched the company and the position.
Trust in your skills and experience, and do not let headhunters pressure you if you are not interested in a particular position.
Manage your time well and give yourself enough time to respond to headhunter inquiries. A quick response can help increase your chances of landing the job.

Through clear and open communication with headhunters and good preparation for application processes, you can increase your chances of successful career development.

Dr. Rodríguez also speaks on these topics at our VDI Recruiting Days in Germany.

An article by Alexandra Ilina

Source: https://www.ingenieur.de/karriere/bewerbung/kommunikation-mit-headhuntern-worauf-kommt-es-an/

Interview with Ruth Vijande on ingenieur.de