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Getting Noticed by HeadHunters |
Dealing with and getting Noticed by Search Firms
Golden Rule # 1: Those with the gold/money make the rules. Always, always remember, that all executive search firms, both retained & contingency get paid by the employers. They work for the employers NOT for the job seekers. You are only valuable to them if you are an appropriate candidate for one of their searches, thus, you represent a potential fee or, if they think that you may know an appropriate candidate and they need you to help them get an introduction.
Golden Rule # 2: If you get a call from an executive search consultant and they tell you about a search they are working on, and follow up with the question, I was wondering if you know anyone who would be interested & appropriate for this type of position. Respond by saying; do you mean besides me? 9 times out of 10 they are calling for you, and they use that question format so as not to possibly offend you, and to determine your interest based on your response.
Golden Rule # 3: Most executive recruiters are practice (industry and/ or position focused) not geographically focused. It is common to have an executive recruiter in California or Colorado to be working on a position in New York or Chicago. Therefore, if you are researching potential search firms in order to market yourself, make sure not to limit your exposure to potential opportunities.
Golden Rule # 4: Most of the search firms utilize some type of resume tracking & candidate intake/registration system. These systems usually have fields where recruiters can identify themselves as the “owner” of a candidate and where they enter remarks about the candidate, which then can be viewed by other recruiter in the firm. When ever possible, you want to know what it is they say about you, you at least want to make sure it lists all positions of interest to you. You may want to consider providing them with a summary.
Golden Rule # 5 Which recruiters should I concentrate on? When you begin your research, look to focus on the firms that have a strong practice concentration, which is aligned with your desired positions. It does not make much sense to spend time and money marketing yourself to a firm that specializes on CEO & board searches if you are looking to be a VP of Sales or Business Development.
Golden Rule # 6 What do I do once I know which firms I want to target? Once you have your target list you need to begin your awareness campaign. If you have a contact at the firm, send them your cover letter (make sure you list your target positions) and resume. Follow-up with a phone call if you have their contact info, if you get them on the phone, ask them if they could forward your resume to any & all consultants in the firm who potentially work in a synergistic practice area. If they firm has a website with a resume intake system, use it! If they post their current assignments, look through them, if you find any that may be a match apply. If you believe that there is a strong match for one of the positions listed, then send an email to your contact with the position information/description and a letter outlining why you think you are appropriate for the position, if they agree, you will be considered.
If you are one of many qualified candidates applying for an advertised position, how do you get noticed among the thousands of resumes in a recruiter's resume database? What can you do to differentiate your resume, make it stand out and help the recruiter advance your career? Here are some proven tactics to improve your chances of getting the kind of attention you need:
1. Make sure you include a personalized cover letter. If the position is in a geographic area other than where you are make sure to express your interest in relocation, where applicable, salary expectations, and why you would excel in the position. A candidate from California applying for a position in New York is more likely to be considered if the cover letter clearly explains that the candidate is looking to relocate there, possibly for some other reason.
2. Put the position you are applying for followed by your name in the subject line of the response email (for example: Vice President of Marketing – Keith Walters). Recruiters normally are working on several positions at the same time and it becomes difficult to keep thousands of resumes in order. Putting the position and your name in the subject line will help ensure that you are being assessed for the right position. If the client company's name appears in the ad, you should include that in the subject line as well.
3. Include an executive summary/profile at the top of your resume. Your profile, which will give the recruiter a snapshot of your experience, may be one of the most important sections of your resume. Be sure to tailor your experience, skills and education to match the job that you are applying for. A recruiter faced with a mass of resumes can't possibly read each one thoroughly; the executive profile has proven to be an effective way to make it through the extremely important first cut.
4. Modify your resume to match the position. If the company is listed in the ad, take a look at their corporate website, see if you can find any related articles on the company. Research the company's corporate culture, management team and mission statement. If your resume is tailored to what the company is looking for and key qualifications are matched with the listed accomplishments of your past, you will have a much better chance of impressing your interviewer and getting the job.
5. List specific accomplishments in each of your past jobs, make sure to include numbers and outcomes whenever possible (if the posting lists numbers which are far larger than what you have accomplished, than don’t list them, but be prepared to defend why the size difference is not that relevant). There is no easier way for a recruiter to sell your experiences to a client company than by leveraging specific examples and benchmarks you have achieved with target “desired” qualifications.
6. Include your current salary range in the cover letter. Having too high a salary history for the advertised position doesn't necessarily cut you out of the search. The recruiter should assess the opportunity and contact you if the job seems right for you for reasons other than salary alone. If you are flexible with your salary range, you should make that clear in the response.
7. Make sure your resume includes a brief description of each company you worked for, stating the industry, approximate revenue and specialty in the market. No recruiter in the world has the time or the knowledge to know the background/Industry of every company that shows up on a resume. Sometimes the recruiters are given a target list of companies from which desirable candidates have in the past repeatedly come from, if you are not from one of those target companies, but you work in the same industry; possibly from another competitor of one of the target companies, make it known.
8. Follow up with an email one to one and a half weeks after sending your resume. You should include a new cover letter expressing your continued interest and make sure you attach your tailored resume. Hopefully by then, the recruiters will have a better idea about the position and will be able to quickly assess if you are a potential fit for the client company. Be persistent without being overly pushy. Recruiters assess personality and cultural fit often to the same degree that they look for the necessary skills to perform the job. If you haven't been contacted, it may not mean you aren't qualified for the position. It may just mean that they found someone else that better fit the company's expectations. Maintain a good relationship with an executive recruiter. You never know, you may get a call from them in the future with your dream job.
If you’re looking for an executive-level position, you’ll want to find retained executive search firms that commonly offer positions in your career field. The largest retained executive search firms include:
e-Korn/FerrySM: www.ekornferry.com
Futurestep™: www.futurestep.com
Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.: www.heidrick.com
Spencer Stuart, Inc.: www.spencerstuart.com
Russell Reynolds Associates, Inc.: www.russreyn.com
Christian & Timbers: www.ctnet.com
The following three sites are great resources for information about search firms’ locations and specialties. They also offer additional fee-based services that allow job seekers to search job databases, buy complete lists of executive search firms, and post their resumes to thousands of recruiters.
Now You Know
Many positions recruiters work on are confidential, and third-party recruiters may not be able to tell you who the hiring company is until the company agrees to meet with you.
If you are concerned about confidentiality, give recruiters the names of the companies you want to be shielded from. They will protect your privacy.
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