The Headhunting Process: Tips and Techniques for Recruiters

Like most recruiters, your goal is to hire top talent, so why settle for less than the best? However, doing so is easier said than done, especially if you’re filling senior-level positions. To improve your chances of success, you must learn how to headhunt candidates.

And that’s what this guide is for. Join us as we walk you through the entire headhunting process, from start to finish. We’ll explore what exactly it is, its legality, and useful tips to bring your A-game in finding top-tier talent for your organization.

Let’s dig right in!

What is headhunting?

Headhunting is one of the many specialized recruitment methods that aim to find the best candidate for a specific position. As the name suggests, you essentially “hunt” for highly qualified individuals to primarily fill specific senior-level positions like chief technology officer, project manager or executive director. It often involves targeting those who aren’t actively job searching.

In short, you contact an employee to convince them to leave their employer and work for yours. This practice is called hunting (or poaching) because it involves taking talent that doesn’t necessarily belong to you. Of course, it doesn’t matter what competing companies think. Ultimately, that decision is up to the candidate.

Since you’re filling a high-level position, hiring decisions must go through multiple people. Whether that includes the board of directors, the chief executive officer or the business owner, it wholly depends on your organization’s size and bureaucratic hierarchy. Regardless, it’s an involved process.

The difference between headhunting and recruitment

Understanding the difference between headhunting versus recruitment is essential. Although both involve sourcing top talent, the core characteristics differ considerably.

The former is a specialized approach designed to streamline the C-suite hiring process. In contrast, the latter is a generic term that describes the act of getting individuals to join your organization, regardless of the position.

There are several key differences between headhunting and recruitment, as noted below:

Headhunting	Recruitment
Recruits for senior-level positions	Recruits for low- and mid-level positions
Targets passive jobseekers	Targets people actively applying for a new job
Entices talent to leave their current employer	Sources talent from an applicant pool
Seeks to fill specific openings	Seeks to expand the workforce

Unlike recruitment, headhunting is a hyper-focused process. As such, the process for identifying and contacting talent is unique. Instead of posting on public job boards or thumbing through stacks of résumés, you use professional networks, referrals and competitor analyses.

Discretion is essential for both parties. If you post on a job board about an executive director position, you’ll receive a flood of applications, many of which won’t be up to your standards. Candidates, meanwhile, are also at risk — it’s not a good look if their boss finds out, which puts them in a tough spot. As a result, they may be less likely to accept your offer.

How to headhunt candidates: The complete process

Although the core stages of the headhunting process are similar to standard recruitment, the specifics differ considerably. You must recognize these differences to understand how to headhunt candidates.

Below we outline the headhunting process, step by step:

Step 1: Know when to start

The headhunting process starts when the board of directors or business owner decides the company needs new talent, which typically happens when a higher-up resigns or gets promoted. They’ll let you know to start the search.

Although promoting existing staff members is more cost-effective, headhunting guarantees access to a broader talent pool. It’s especially effective for senior-level positions, where hiring internally means filling another critical opening. Besides, at this level, needlessly shuffling the bureaucratic hierarchy can create friction and might cause issues down the line.

Step 2: Identify the skills, knowledge and education you need

What knowledge base, experience, certifications and education level are required for the role that you’re trying to fill?

Don’t worry about lowering the job requirements to widen your net. Since this is a highly specialized search, you can be as specific as you want. You only need to find one individual whose skill set matches, after all.

Step 3: Source passive jobseekers within your industry

Your search will most likely focus on passive jobseekers. These people aren’t actively looking for a job but they may be open to new opportunities.

Since this group makes up about 70% of the global workforce, according to LinkedIn research, it’s statistically likely that the individuals you’re targeting belong to it. However, they might not be easily convinced because they’re unwilling to accept just any opening. Many want incentives like more pay and better benefits, or even a different schedule.

When you feel ready, use internal databases, professional networks and referrals to find people who have the skill set you need. Try not to reach out to anyone while they’re at work. To them, it may seem like an underhanded tactic to cause friction at their current job. They may cut all contact with you if they feel cornered, hindering your search.

Social media is a convenient, direct contact method that won’t tip off their current employer. It may seem unconventional, but it’s surprisingly common. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development found that around 90% of recruiters have used social media to hire at least some new workers. Ideally, you should use LinkedIn, as it’s a professional platform for these kinds of things.

Step 4: Reach out to the candidate and explain the position

When you reach out, explain the position you’re looking to fill. Candidates want more than just a simple job title. They want to know the details and what their daily life might look like at your company. What responsibilities and skills make someone successful in this role? How might it differ from their current position?

Don’t be surprised if the person doesn’t respond enthusiastically or immediately. Given the sensitive nature of headhunting, there’s a lot on the line during this phase. Leaving a job means leaving stability, a known environment and manager, and many more familiar aspects of their life.

Whatever their reaction, you want to get a good sense of their interest in your open role. Are their responses cold and clipped? Does their eye contact waver, or does their body language show a closed or uninterested mind set?

If they’re a truly promising lead, you can try to warm them up to the role by elaborating on how their life might improve if they accept the position. Do you offer longevity in the role? This is the time to dig deeper into what your company can offer them.

Improved work–life balance or flexible work hours are both huge wins for many people. The American Psychological Association notes that almost 59% of workers experience the negative impacts of work-related stress, so it’s a problem that many face and want to remedy.

Step 5: Interview candidates with prepared background checks

Unless the top talent you’re trying to hire has applied before, chances are you’re operating without a résumé or cover letter. Even if they have, you likely don’t have the latest details on their skills, professional achievements or certificates. Interviews are, therefore, necessary because they fill in these gaps, helping you narrow your search.

Expedite the process if you can. Even though the headhunting process is highly specialized, only few candidates make it to the interview stage. They will want to find out whether they’ve made the shortlist as soon as possible. In addition to easing their nerves, you may get ahead of other companies’ recruiters, giving yourself a competitive advantage.

When the time comes to interview, make sure the HR manager in charge is knowledgeable about the open position. This way, they can target the most suitable candidates from the onset and ask candidates appropriate questions. Since the interviewees are industry experts, there’s no point in wasting time on trivial questions or hypotheticals.

There’s one step left before deciding between those who do well in the interviews. And that’s background checks, which are always essential — even at this level. Chances are the person you hire will make executive-level decisions or be put in charge of entire departments. Verifying their identity, education, background and criminal record is, therefore, crucial.

Step 6: Decide on the right candidate and send an offer

As an HR manager, you likely have substantial sway when it comes to hiring. However, since this position is so important, the business owner or board of directors may make the final decision.

Once they give you the go-ahead, you can send an offer letter to the shortlisted candidate. Be prepared for some back and forth!

Step 7: Come to an agreement

When a candidate shows their interest, you can begin negotiating. Understand what they expect when it comes to salary, benefits, job responsibilities and work flexibility.

Someone in a senior position isn’t likely to take a pay cut or give up their benefits, so be prepared to offer a competitive package that aligns with industry standards if you really want them for the role.

Budget constraints are normal for many businesses, so you can highlight non-monetary perks like professional development opportunities or equity options. If your company offers remote work flexibility, make sure to express that perk, as it is a hot-button topic today.

Work-related stress, meanwhile, is a significant concern, with nearly 6 in 10 employees feeling its negative effects. Because of this, many employees look for health benefits and a supportive environment, sometimes over monetary or other traditional perks.

Step 8: Stay in touch and build lasting connections

Even if a candidate turns down the offer, maintaining a strong connection with them is a worthwhile tactic to employ in your overall recruitment strategy.

The social media connection of LinkedIn is a popular method to stay aware of your prospect’s job status. You might also seek out connections in events or other casual check-ins if you have their contact information. Remember to ask for their permission to contact them again for future positions.

A strong long-term relationship sows the seeds for more opportunities down the line, even if the current job isn’t the right fit or it’s already been filled. Countless hiring success stories come from previous interactions and respectful communications over time. A candidate who declines today may become the perfect hire tomorrow.

Headhunting tips and tricks to keep in mind

Even the most experienced pros in the headhunting game want to hone their craft. Expediting the search and increasing the reliability of potential hires is always a good goal to seek out in your career.

Here are some headhunting tips to explore in your next quarter:

• Prioritize confidentiality: A candidate’s current employer can be a hidden or often forgotten rival. If the employer is aware that their employee, who is probably a top performer, is being head-hunted, then they may swoop in with new incentives. This then becomes a back and forth of incentivizing, and your offer may rise exponentially to compete. Avoid this situation by practicing good confidentiality habits and communication methods.
• Start with a shortlist: At the end of the day, quality trumps quantity. Of the hundreds of people you review, only a select few are worth digging into deeper to review. You’ll still need to contact and sort through many candidates; but starting with a shortlist can slice down the pool to only a handful of qualified prospects.
• Know when to quit: Confidence and enthusiasm can get you far, and it’s a good rule of thumb to seek those qualities in your candidates as well. If you spent weeks chasing down what seemed like the perfect candidate, only to be met with indecision and passivity on their part, you might come up empty. It’s okay to pivot and switch up your strategies to find other enthusiastic candidates.

If you’re headhunting, you know how time-sensitive and delicate the process can be in both the long-term strategy and day-to-day life. Your company wants the best candidates to join the team, so remember to take your time when you can to follow the best practices and really spend your time on the best leads.

Is headhunting illegal?

No, headhunting isn’t illegal. These recruitment and employment practices are widely accepted, even in niche or specialized fields.

You want to be wary of certain exceptions or restrictions, though. Non-solicitation agreements prevent former employees from poaching staff. Additionally, using unethical tactics — such as misrepresenting a job, violating confidentiality agreements or aggressively targeting employees from a single brand — can lead to legal or reputational risks.

Ultimately, if you respect ethical and legal boundaries, you should have no concerns.

Key takeaways

Being proactive with headhunting means you find the most qualified professionals. The process considers people who aren’t actively looking for a new opportunity because headhunters prepare pitches that paint a brighter professional future for selected candidates.

To sum up:

• For those comparing headhunting vs recruitment: Imagine headhunters reaching out to candidates while recruiters sift through applications from the general public for a role.
• For anyone learning the most useful headhunting techniques: Research leaders in your field, network with them before roles open, and contact them for job pitches based on your existing professional friendship.
• For recruiters identifying the most important headhunting skill: Hone your ability to negotiate by offering outstanding compensation, benefits and scheduling flexibility that your candidates won’t find anywhere else.
• For people wondering about potential ethical considerations: Avoid misrepresenting what your open role would require of a candidate and never violate agreements made during headhunting negotiations.

Got a question about headhunting, or want to share your own tips and tricks with us? Let us know in the comments section below.

This article is a complete update of an earlier version originally published in 2017.