You know the feeling when a headhunter calls you. If you ever got the call that is. You feel a sense of pride and excitement. You think to yourself: “finally, someone found me, someone discovered my talent, the big salary and company car are coming my way, the neighbours will surely notice my new status, my spouse and children will acknowledge how smart I am. I should go buy a lottery ticket today.”
It’s absolutely fine that you feel a sense of pride being sought after. On the other hand, you don’t want to run around the office with your arms up and let your manager and colleagues know who just called you. Envy is always a bad thing and this may even lead to suspicion by your superiors that you are contemplating an exit in the near future. Perhaps more importantly, even though the headhunter called does not mean you already got the job. Better “keep your hair on” as they say in English (keep calm and do not over-react).
So guys, slow down and “hold the horses”. You may have been spammed: you may be just a number some lazy junior recruiter found on LinkedIn – perhaps someone who has to get your resume to make the KPI for registered resumes in their database.
Believe me, many recruiters calling you may not even have a real job or client on hand. The call is merely to pretend, so they can get your resume and perhaps names of your friends and colleagues.
My best advice is not to start answering their questions about your background right away. They should first earn the right and your trust to really ask any questions at all. Read Advice number 2 and 5 below how to handle this particular situation.
You have to vet the recruiters who call you. Don’t choose someone who is rude and aggressive.
Advice number 1: Ask recruiter to call back
You are in control and if you don’t have complete privacy then don’t even attempt to answer with hints or suggestive comments. Not stating your position in a clear manner will be a disadvantage to your rating with the executive search firm. And the walls might have ears.
Simply state that this is not a good time but you would welcome a talk later in the day. If the call comes in on your office telephone, then give your mobile telephone number to offer more flexibility.
Advice number 2: Great headhunters say their name
Great recruiters will introduce themselves. They will state their company name and own name. Amateur recruiters will just say: "I'm calling from ABC Recruitment Company; are you looking for a job?.”
Ask for the recruiter’s web site, and then tell the recruiter to call you back tomorrow, so you have time to research who called you.
Advice number 3: Did they check out your LinkedIn profile?
Perhaps you have a profile on LinkedIn; ask the recruiter if they have seen it. If not, ask the caller to check it out and call you back. If they have seen you on LinkedIn, ask what in your profile attracted them to contact you.
Advice number 4: Is the job for real or bogus?
Ask the recruiter if they have a specific job they are working on, and if so, ask for a presentation of the client’s company and job. Ask for location, for compensation budget. A professional recruiter will have no problem providing you with this information. If no detailed information can be shared on the spot, it's a bogus call and you should end the call.
Protect your resume and reputation as it was your social security number. Too many humbugs will broadcast your personal details unsolicited to make some quick money.
Advice number 5: Where is the office? High street, sub soi, or suburb?
Ask the recruiter for their office address. Check if they are in a prestigious building in the central business district. Ask where the interview will take place, if you agree to come forward.
If the answer is a hotel lobby or Starbucks, the recruitment company is running a shoestring business with little space to conduct their business. Listen, this is not serious and you should never sit in a public area to interview.
Advice number 6: Don’t share your compensation details
Junior recruiters are often the first people to get in touch with you. They have a form from their manager to fill in for further vetting. One of these boxes would be to get your compensation details to check if you are too cheap or too expensive for whatever job they have on hand.
Believe me; no professional headhunter will start a conversation about your career that way. So next time, hang up or if you are polite, tell the recruiter to explain more about the client and the job. And invite them to ask technical and personality questions to explore the opportunity. And you are welcome to ask what kind of budget their client gave them. Yes, clients do.
Advice number 7: Is it a retained search or contingency job?
To avoid disappointment and get your expectations right, always ask the recruiter if their assignment is a retained search or a contingency job. Retained means that a client has paid the executive search firm money up front and is working closely with the headhunter on an exclusive basis.
Contingency means that the recruiter can only invoice their client if one of their candidates is employed by the client. It’s like real estate agents who only get commission if they close a deal, so sell, sell, sell is the name of the game.
Advice number 8: Do they want to meet you? Office or Starbucks?
If the recruiter wants to meet you first, that’s a good sign, but there is a “but”. Ask where such a meeting will take place, since many smaller firms tend to suggest meetings at coffee shops and hotel lobbies. Believe me, this is not serious and you don’t want to sit in a public place talking about yourself, your career, achievements, compensation, private affairs and what have you.
Author: Tom Sorensen is a Partner at Boyden Thailand, a global Top 10 executive search firm. Contact tsorensen@boyden.com and learn more on www.boyden.co.th
Series Editor: Christopher F. Bruton is Executive Director of Dataconsult Ltd, chris@dataconsult.co.th. Dataconsult’s Thailand Regional Forum provides seminars and extensive documentation to update business on future trends in Thailand and in the Mekong Region.