You must have seen and heard it all by now. No one is safe. You can’t control the big picture. Mergers, acquisitions, booms and busts. How would your function be affected if your company’s business declined by 20%? Where does your project or department lie in the priority list? Are you considered a member of a core business unit? Some people know the answer to these questions, some don’t. The same will go for whether you might remain a valuable asset to your company or be booted into the job-hunting streets the next round.

But worry not, for today's "best and brightest" will always be in demand. I hope that you are one of them. Fancy job titles may not fully reflect how the new, less gentle workplace will value you in the coming future. In this new world, it behooves you to make an ally out of the headhunter. So prepare yourself when he or she calls.

Understanding the headhunter
Headhunters, in a nutshell, represent firms that are engaged by employers to find critical talent. Usually these headhunting firms narrow their search to a select group of professional people to fill executive, technical or high-level administrative positions.

The headhunter conducts two types of searches: contingency search and retainer search. Contingency searches are generally conducted to fill junior to intermediate positions. The headhunter is only paid for successful candidate hires. In this case, an employer may put several headhunting firms on the same assignment to speed up the process. A retainer search means that the headhunter is retained on an exclusive basis. An upfront fee is paid as soon as the search commences, and a further payment is made upon the submission of a shortlist of candidates. The final payment is paid when the right candidate is actually hired. This type of search is conducted for more senior level positions - i.e. a CTO or CEO. Given the criticality of the role, time is a secondary factor. Thoroughly researching the market for the right candidates takes precedence.

How does a headhunter get your name and contact information? Most search firms develop extensive database of potential candidates using well-developed networks, referrals, professional association membership lists, the media etc. In some cases, names are thrown up by enlisting the aid of other search firms who might be members of a consortium that has agreed to "split fees" among its cooperating members. One thing is key though, unless you are a mover and a shaker in your field, your name won’t come up. Demonstrable skills, talent and results are crucial to get on this most-wanted list.

To gain visibility - and phone calls - you will need to do some work. Above and beyond doing all the right things at work and raking up your experience, you might also build a list of, say, 20 competitors, suppliers, stock analysts, management consultants, and former colleagues, and call them every three or six months to say hello or discuss work issues. Let them know what you’re up to and what you are potentially interested in pursuing work-wise (not swapping of employers, mind you). It is also useful to get active in professional groups.

Hello, this is your headhunter calling!
So, let’s assume you’ve made the cut and get that all-important call. What do you do?

Never say never to headhunters. Should you get a call in the office, don’t say hasta la vista, instead try “Please call me at home.” Business is changing so fast that the job you’re doing may not be there tomorrow. So always talk to them. Even if you’re not interested in the position in question at the time, let the recruiter know what you would be interested in for future reference. They called you because they knew you were on their shortlist of capable candidates. Who is to say they won’t call you again for something else? You could even recommend them a few names of people who know would be interested - this will keep your lines open to them and they’ll remember you for this! And should you be interested, well, an upward career, greater job satisfaction and higher pay would just be the beginning. By listening, you have nothing much to lose but a little time, but a lot to gain.

Do make the effort to find out more about the headhunter and the nature of the search. Ask them how they got your name. Has the headhunter been in the business long? What does the headhunter specialise in? Is this a contingency search or has the search done on a retained fee basis - discerning between a mass-candidate-rush vs. select-candidate search. What stage is the search at right now? Is this a replacement position or a new role due to growth?

Ask questions about the job and the hiring employer. The consultant should be able to provide you with enough of a description of the opportunity to enable you to decide if it's in your strike zone. The search agent should be able to answer the elementary questions -- the nature of the job, its title, an approximate salary range, why the job became vacant, the type of company, the market being targeted, the corporate culture, the financial and strategic situation of the company, etc. It is only by listening, responding, and asking questions that you will find out what you need to know in order to decide if this job worth considering as a strategic career move. You don’t have to worry about selling yourself. They are doing the calling, remember? Just get down to the nitty-gritty of the job in question.

Is a Resume necessary? Most definitely! Keep it updated whether or not you are actively conducting a job search. Keep adding your current accomplishments and refining your Resume to reflect your capability today. Should you get a surprise call from a headhunter, you won’t be caught out. But don’t be too hasty in providing your Resume to any headhunter who requests it and do not fall victim to the common belief that the more Resumes you have out there the better your job search is going. The reason they call is to get that all-coveted Resume. Besides yourself, your Resume is your most valuable asset when marketing your services. So, try as far as possible, especially for more senior people, your Resume should only be provided in person (giving yourself an opportunity to physically interview the headhunter) and only once you know for certain there is a viable opportunity for which you would like to be considered. Many people mistakenly provide their Resume to any headhunter who asks for it without first determining the nature of the job. It becomes harder to get the headhunter’s personal attention once you’ve delivered them your Resume. What happens after the Resume is given? The search firm will "introduce" you to its client company, usually comments about you, gleaned by the headhunter’s telephone interview or in-person interview conducted with you. Then, the Resume is forwarded on to the client company and the ball is in the hiring employer’s court.

What not to do
Don't attempt to aggressively interrogate the consultant, or push for the identity of the client and fine details of the package. There are certain bounds of client confidentiality you should consider. Further, most clients provide a broad range for the compensation package as a starter - leaving it up to you to valuate your worth during interviews with the client at a later stage. If you persist, you’ll find yourself quickly de-selected from the field of possible candidates. By doing so, you only demonstrate your lack of appreciation of the headhunter’s need to get some impression of you, or of the client's need for initial enquiries to be discreetly handled.

Never lead the headhunter on. Their time is precious and their objective is clear. By disrupting their operations, you will effectively place yourself in a very compromising position - and may never get the chance to do it again!

Although it proves to act as leverage, never attempt to use the approach to devise a counter-offer from your current employer, to get a pay rise. Nobody likes a manipulator - neither headhunter nor your employer. It may be a dangerous game you will not win.

Remember that you’re always on show - never let your professional etiquette nor your normal business standards slip at any stage in the process. You are never guaranteed your job, old or new. An assumption will be made that this is how you act in your everyday dealings - you can kiss your opportunity goodbye after that.

Successful people always see an opportunity where others may not. Treat an approach from a headhunter as a great opportunity for your career. Best case scenario, you get the coveted job. Should the position evade you, or disinterested in the position, you still gain - advice on developing your career strategies, learn of new developments in your industry and establish a relationship with a headhunting firm that will have long-term benefits for your career.

Just remember to pick up when the telephone rings!