Attracting Headhunters| How to attract Companies to Hire you

Attracting Headhunters

Job recruiters are like ninjas — you rarely see them unless they want to be seen. They contact only the best and brightest in their professions, offering them jobs which never get advertised.

Looking for headhunters rarely works. Instead, you make yourself as visible and intriguing as possible, and wait for them to contact you.

You’ve got several ways to do this, but before we get into those tactics remember attracting job recruits is a long-end game. You need to apply these tactics over time and while you’re employed; waiting until you’re actively looking for a job is too late.

Be the Best

Okay, this is obvious, but if job recruiters only approach the best in your industry, you need to be the best. This doesn’t just mean excelling at your job — many talented people toil in anonymity.

You need other people in the industry to acknowledge how good you are. Word needs to spread about your accomplishments, so job recruiters have opportunity to hear about you. This is as true for a salesperson as it is for a CEO. You need to be your own publicist and build a robust network of contacts.

Networking: Cast Hooks, Not Nets

Many people believe the more contacts they have in their network, the stronger their network becomes. This isn’t true. It’s not how many people are in your network, it’s who’s in the network.

Approach networking as if you were building a fine art collection. Choose only the best for the collection. Find out who’s leading your industry and approach them. Engage them in conversation at seminars or conferences. Follow them on Twitter. Establish yourself as an industry expert on forums they frequent.

Don’t neglect industry leaders within your own company. Establish relationships with them. Ask for their advice, or see if they’re willing to mentor you. When the time for a new job comes, an endorsement from an in-house mentor is extremely valuable.

Use Social Media Wisely

LinkedIn remains one of the most effective ways to draw the attention of job recruiters, but only if you use the site carefully. Polish your resume until it shines before you upload it. Stay active on industry-related boards within the site. If you’re inviting someone to join your Connections, don’t just send the standard invitation template. Give them a reason to want to hook up with you.

Be careful what you do and say online. Job recruiters won’t just check your LinkedIn activity. They’ll Google your name and run searches for you on Facebook and Twitter. No matter how professional your LinkedIn account is, a single ill-thought-out post on Facebook can destroy all your hard work.

Establishing Yourself as an Expert

Don’t just rely on social media to get your name out there. A carefully written, thoughtful blog related to your industry can bring you to people’s attention. If you’d rather work offline, consider writing articles for trade publications, or giving talks at industry conferences and seminars.

You won’t see immediate results from these strategies. But if you’re diligent, approachable and professional, you’ll come to the attention of the people who matter. And the people who matter are the ones who offer the best jobs.

James is a freelance writer very interested in new developments in the career world. He has a number of interests but mostly writes about career development and forklift training.