Head Hunter and All Their Secrets for Focused Hiring in High-Tech and Senior Roles
The battle for talent: why a head hunter is the key to successful hiring in high-tech?
A head hunter has become more essential than ever in today’s job market. With the dramatic increase in the number of startups and fast-growing companies, the competition over top minds in the high-tech world is only intensifying.
It’s no coincidence that companies invest huge resources in employer branding and building an organizational culture that attracts the best talent – these investments are meant to win the race and secure control over the most sought-after professionals.
This is exactly where the head hunter comes in: a specialist in targeted recruitment and in locating “under the radar” candidates, who brings a unique approach to capturing the most desirable talents in the industry.
Head Hunter and All Their Secrets for Targeted Hiring in High-Tech and Senior Roles
The battle for talent: why a head hunter is the key to success in high-tech hiring
A head hunter has become more crucial than ever in today’s job market. With the dramatic rise in the number of startups and fast-growing companies, the competition over top high-tech talent is only intensifying.
Companies invest heavily in employer branding and building an attractive organizational culture in order to win this battle and secure the best minds. These resources are poured into staying ahead of the competition and ensuring access to the most in-demand professionals.
This is exactly where the head hunter comes in – a specialist in highly targeted recruitment and in locating “under the radar” candidates, offering a unique approach to capturing the most sought-after talents in the industry.
Graph: Distribution of Hiring in Startups by Recruitment Method
Description:
The graph shows the distribution of common recruitment methods used by startup companies, especially in high-tech. We can see that 35% of hires are made via head hunters, who locate high-quality candidates that are not actively looking for a job. The other methods include:
- Online platforms (25%) – LinkedIn, Glassdoor and other digital platforms where active candidates apply for positions.
- Employee referrals (20%) – internal recommendations within the company, an effective yet relatively limited channel for sourcing high-quality talent.
- General recruitment agencies (15%) – agencies that mainly focus on candidates who are actively seeking jobs.
- Direct applicants (5%) – candidates who independently approach the company and submit their CVs.
What are the insights from this graph?
As shown in the graph, head hunters play a critical role in recruiting top talent.
Head hunters work proactively, locating passive candidates who are not actively looking for work but are open to considering attractive offers. This pool includes some of the strongest and most desirable candidates, giving companies access to “under-the-radar” talent that is often inaccessible via traditional channels.
Where did the term “head hunter” come from?
The term “head hunter” originates from the American recruitment world of the 1940s, when skilled professionals were hired to recruit senior talent for successful companies.
Head hunters specialized in locating employees who were not publicly job-hunting – in other words, “under-the-radar” candidates – and used sophisticated search methods.
Today, the role of the head hunter has become far more complex and requires a combination of deep recruitment expertise with strong sales and persuasion skills, in order to motivate candidates to make a career move.
The difference between passive recruitment and active recruitment
Waiting for CVs (passive) vs. active outreach
In traditional recruitment, recruiters wait for CVs to arrive from potential candidates. This is considered a passive approach, focusing mainly on candidates who are actively looking for work.
However, top-tier, highly skilled candidates – especially in high-tech – are almost always employed and are not actively searching on job boards.
In contrast, head hunters operate actively.
They don’t wait for CVs to arrive – they go out and find the best candidates themselves, make discreet contact, and present them with new opportunities.
This approach gives companies direct access to hidden talent that can make a real strategic impact on the organization.
The advantages of a head hunter for your company
Discretion and privacy
Discretion is a key component in executive and sensitive hiring, especially at senior levels. A professional head hunter ensures full confidentiality for both the company and the candidates, using a secure and advanced ATS (Applicant Tracking System).
Under-the-radar sourcing with advanced tech tools
We use advanced sourcing tools such as LinkedIn, X-Ray searches and ZoomInfo to reach relevant candidates that are not visible on the surface.
In addition, AI tools and automation processes help streamline the funnel and allow us to respond faster to each client’s needs.
Rich, focused candidate data
Using a data-rich ATS, we can run highly targeted filters on candidates – including skills, employment history and fit indicators.
This data ensures a high level of accuracy and precise matching in the recruitment process.
A head hunter with strong sales and persuasion skills
Being a successful head hunter requires not just sourcing skills, but also excellent sales abilities.
Our head hunters are skilled at building personal relationships with candidates, understanding their professional and personal needs, and persuading them to consider a new challenge.
The ability to motivate a candidate to make a move and join your company is an art that demands deep domain understanding and a clear grasp of your company’s value proposition.
Experience and deep understanding of tech roles
Our team, with over a decade of experience, thoroughly understands different technical and leadership profiles.
This expertise allows us to properly assess candidates and create a true match to the role requirements.
We accompany each candidate throughout all stages of the process and ensure a high-quality, personal experience right up to signing.
Advanced tools for headhunting and high-quality sourcing
Advanced Boolean search and targeted sourcing
We keep up-to-date with the most advanced tools in the market and perform complex Boolean searches to reach unique candidates, even in the narrowest niches.
These techniques allow us to precisely match a candidate’s skills to the role requirements.
Business intelligence for smarter recruiting
We use business intelligence to better understand the market and the competition.
With tools such as LinkedIn Sales Navigator and additional intel platforms, we build tailored, data-driven sourcing strategies.
Tools for finding emails and contacts
We use services like Hunter.io and ContactOut to find email addresses and contact details of top candidates who don’t appear in open databases.
Leveraging additional social networks
Beyond LinkedIn, we extend our search to platforms like Facebook and Twitter/X, ensuring we reach leading talent across all available channels.
FAQs about the headhunting process
Q: What’s the difference between a head hunter and regular recruitment services?
A: A head hunter focuses on senior, high-caliber candidates who are not active in the open job market. The process is personal, discreet and highly targeted, including deep matching and the ability to motivate candidates to change roles.
Q: Why work with us?
A: With 10+ years of experience, and the use of advanced, innovative tools, we ensure an optimal match between company and candidate, while providing personal service and close support throughout the entire process.
In conclusion: a head hunter is the key to high-quality, efficient hiring
In an era where top tech talent isn’t actively job-hunting, recruitment via head hunting and executive search is the most effective way to reach them.
With a combination of cutting-edge technology, deep market understanding and strong persuasion skills, we’re here to secure high-quality hires that are fully aligned with your company’s goals.
Want to learn more about how we can help you find your next top talent?
Get in touch with us today to start the process.