Want to Get Headhunted for a New Job?

While most people find a new job by actively searching for opportunities, if you’ve got an impressive skill set, it can be much simpler to wait for the job offers to come to you! Headhunting is becoming much more common these days, particularly in more niche industries.

Getting headhunted is all about being noticed. That may sound fairly simple, but unless you have completely unique talents, you’ll probably be up against a lot of competition! So how can you get headhunters and recruiters to seek you out? We’ve listed the top three ways to get headhunted below!

1. Show Yourself to be an Expert

If you’re an expert in your field, make sure that others know that! The best way to go about this is to actively participate in industry discussions. This could be via the written word, such as via online blogs, or publishing articles in relevant journals and magazines. You may also consider speaking in person, at conferences or other events. If you get your name out there, people in your sector and headhunters are bound to take notice.

Knowing that you’re successful and have industry expertise probably won’t be enough – other people have to acknowledge this too. Are your peers deferring to you on a particular topic? Perhaps they’ve quoted something you’ve said that was particularly poignant? If this is the case, ask them to tell others about it, and perhaps get your peers to add a recommendation on your online profiles, such as on LinkedIn.

2. Speak to Your Colleagues

Even if you’re not keen on speaking at industry events, you should still try and attend them. Networking with others in your sector can give you a lot of exposure, and you’ll be well placed to find out about the latest job opportunities. Speaking with your colleagues also gives you the chance to get advice from people you respect. Ask them how they managed to get where they are, and the steps they took to achieve their goals.

Another thing to keep in mind when networking is that you need to be consistent, and focus on the long term. Even if you’re not actively seeking a new job, you should continue to network. Otherwise, when you are thinking about changing employers, your sudden interest in networking won’t appear particularly genuine.

3. Network Online

There are a whole host of networking sites you should get involved in, should you wish to be headhunted. The main platform is probably LinkedIn – this social networking site is a great way to find a new job. Just make sure you put the work into your profile, as this could be your chance to make a great first impression. You should also try to include key words and phrases on your profile, such as your job description and main skills. That way, if anyone is looking to hire someone with your talents, they can more easily find you. For more tips on standing out on LinkedIn, you can check out our guide here.

While it’s not the same as getting headhunted, you may also wish to consider setting up job alerts on platforms like LinkedIn. Because even if these are not jobs that specifically interest you, it’s a great way of finding out about local businesses in your industry, who are looking to expand their teams. You can then reach out to these companies, and develop even more connections within your sector.

If you are actively looking for a change in your career, it can additionally be a good idea to join a recruitment agency like Pineapple Recruitment. A recruiter will already have a network in place, with a huge variety of businesses looking to hire. And even if you’re not seeking a new job straight away, it can be sensible to join these types of networks, so you’ll be ready to take your next step on your career path, when the time comes.