Recruitment V Headhunting – what’s the difference?

Headhunting is one of the many specialist services that we offer here are Holt Recruitment. Sometimes the perfect candidate isn’t even aware that there is a better position waiting for them – our job is to find them and convince them that the grass is greener with you.

Recruiters typically have a Pool of candidates from which to search for a Role whereas a Headhunter will actively search for a new Candidate to fill a role.

Recruiters tend to be reactive – when they are presented with a Role to fill they search their own Database of live Candidates for potential matches and present the role. The roles that a Recruiter fills are likely to be standard positions with lower salaries and therefore lower Recruitment Agencies Fees.

Headhunters are more proactive. It is often the case that the perfect Candidate for a role is not actively looking to move from their current position and will need to be enticed away. Headhunting Recruitment Fees are usually higher that for standard Recruiting as the approach from a headhunter needs to be more labour intensive – and much more persuasive.

How do Recruiters collect Candidates?

Traditionally, recruiters will post jobs on behalf of clients onto their company web site as well as Job boards – think Indeed, CV Library and Monster as well as their social media pages and wait for applications. A recruiter will then filter out the applications into potential candidates for the employer.

Often a Recruiter will post a non-existent job just to harvest Candidates in preparation for a job that they may be advertising later. This enables Recruiters to build a Candidate library that they will contact when a new job drops onto their desk.

How do Headhunters collect Candidates?

Although there is some cross-over between Recruiting and Headhunting, Headhunters will mostly take a more precise approach, looking for Candidates not from a CV bank but specifically based on the Role that they are recruiting for. They will headhunt the best candidates from multiple sources ranging from LinkedIn, Social Media and Company “Meet the Team” pages.

Do Headhunters use Artificial Intelligence Robots to find candidates?

It is becoming more common for Headhunters to use Artificial Intelligence Engines that ‘scrape’ hundreds of Internet Sources and use their algorithm to narrow down and present Candidates.

The process doesn’t start with a Role but rather it starts with the perfect candidate. Using this perfect candidate as a template, the AI will search a wide pool of diverse and qualified professionals and match this template with other candidates.

Some AI Software will perform the outreach on your behalf but candidates will typically favour the human touch. AI Bots are typically very expensive – headhunting candidates for as few as 5 roles can often cost the salary of a good headhunter, and doesn’t look as good on Social Media!

What is another Job title for Headhunter?

The term Headhunting is often used in place of other terms such as Talent Manager, Internal Recruiter, Talent Selection and Talent Acquisition but they all refer to a person who identifies and approaches suitable candidates employed elsewhere to fill business positions.

The term Headhunter is falling out of favour in the modern recruitment market.

Read 10 tips for Candidates during interviews.

Is headhunting ethical?

Holt Recruitment Headhunters approach candidates in an honest manner that takes privacy into consideration, we are not misleading and we always ask for permission to communicate. Holt headhunting is and will remain a highly ethical and successful recruitment method.

How do Recruiters and Headhunters get paid?

Why use a Headhunter?

They will save you time, and time is money. Automotive recruitment agencies take the job searching process off your hands, saving time and energy so you can spend your time earning money and your evenings relaxing and doing the things you enjoy.

Headhunters have access to a much larger Candidate pool than if you were to upload a Job Role to an online Job Board. The right person for your Role may not even be looking for another position – yet! Click to view our LinkedIn Headhunter page.