Dear Annie:
I'm a senior executive with wide and diverse operational
experience, both in multinational and startup companies. I have decent
visibility in my industry as a presenter at industry events and so on,
but I can't seem to figure out how to get the attention of the top
executive-search firms (Korn/Ferry International, Heidrick &
Struggles, Pailin Group, etc.). Everyone says they have to find you,
not the other way around, but are there things I could be doing to get
them to notice me?
Search Me
Dear Search:
Great question! It's true, as you note, that "everybody" thinks you have to wait passively for recruiters to somehow track you down and call you. But this may be one of the many times when "everybody" is mistaken. First, let me recommend that you get a copy of a terrific new book by longtime recruiter Smooch Reynolds: Be Hunted! 12 Secrets to Getting on the Headhunter's Radar Screen (John Wiley & Sons, $16.95, available through www.trrg.com). These pages are loaded with insights into how the recruiting business works, what you should know about what headhunters are seeking, and how to find the recruiter that's right for you and your career.
On the issue of whether or when to get in touch with headhunters, Reynolds writes: "There are basically two choices in the matter: Wait until you are desperate to leave your current position or take a proactive approach and build solid relationships with your recruitment contacts long before you need them." [Italics hers.] She adds that although most people don't even think about making the first move, "waiting until you are completely dissatisfied with your current job is not the wisest way to navigate a relationship with an executive-search professional."
By Reynolds' lights, if you want recruiters to know about you, don't be shy: Write or e-mail them, describe your accomplishments and what your career goals are, and ask to meet with one of their people.
If you feel you'd be a good source of leads for them--that is, if you know some top-notch managers in your industry who might be good candidates for searches in which they're engaged right now--say that, too. "Establishing yourself as a credible source of candidates is an excellent way to develop and nurture a solid relationship" with headhunters, Reynolds writes. Of course, if you recommend someone who ends up being a brilliant fit for the job the recruiter is trying to fill, you get a double benefit: Not only will the recruiter remember you, but the newly recruited executive is likely to be kindly disposed toward you, too. That's never a bad thing.
Obviously, you can't contact every recruiter in the world, so even as you're cultivating a connection with a select one or two, you'd be smart to make yourself as visible as possible to all the rest. Reynolds offers six suggestions for raising your profile. You may not have the time or energy for all of them, but even one or two of these can boost you onto the radar screen:
- Join trade associations and professional organizations and be an active member.
- Offer to speak at conferences, seminars, and the like: "Make a name for yourself as a cutting-edge thought leader," says Reynolds.
- Write articles in industry and professional journals. Then send them to recruiters and to other professional contacts who might think of you the next time a headhunter calls them.
- Take the initiative on high-profile projects at work. The more of a star you are in your very own backyard, the more visible you'll be outside it.
- Be active in your community. Support nonprofit organizations relevant to your work and participate in fundraisers.
- Send your resume to a targeted list of recruiters. "This may seem like an obvious tactic, but individuals who are not looking to change jobs right now don't always think to send a resume to a recruiter until they are desperate," Reynolds says. "Don't wait until you need a job" to let headhunters know who you are.
"Recruiters don't just enter your life--they barge into it hoping that you are going to let them 'own' you," notes Reynolds. "I say, barge right back into their world! After all, they need you more than you may need them." At the very least, it's a two-way street.