What is a Headhunter?

What is a Headhunter?

A headhunter of course literally means someone who hunts for heads. It is someone who specializes in finding the right person for a specific position.

In practice, this position is often a leading position within a company. For example, if you as a company are looking for a very good new CEO, CFO or marketing director, a headhunter is often called in.

A headhunter often has a large network within a specific industry, for example IT, healthcare, or construction. He knows a lot of people and proactively approaches people with the right capabilities and experience to see if they are interested in a new job.

In general, the people approached by a headhunter have a heavy profile, and perhaps also have another job. It is therefore important that the headhunter works discreetly.

Where does a headhunter work?

In general, a headhunter is hired by a company to fill a (top) position. He or she usually does not work for the company that has the vacancy open and usually works for a headhunting agency or as a freelancer.

How much does a headhunter cost?

The costs for a headhunter vary and are often negotiated. Most of them get a bonus anyway if they fill a vacancy. Agencies often also charge a start-up fee and an hourly rate. If no-cure-no-pay is used , the rate is often between 25 and 35 percent of the candidate's annual salary. A small part of this is often paid in advance (for example 5 percent) and the remaining 20 to 30 percent when the position is filled.

What is the difference between headhunting and recruitment?

Both positions are concerned with recruiting new employees. Job names within recruitment & selection often overlap. The simplest explanation is that a headhunter is actually also a recruiter, only he focuses purely on top positions. Someone who calls himself that is really a specialist in a certain field and has a large network in this field. However, that does not mean that someone with the job description 'recruiter' cannot recruit top positions.