STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

kenzie · Chanel

Headhunters?

Aurora · Marc Jacobs

I have not personally used one but they are a must with the accounting industry when you are trying to get out of public and get a decent industry job. All of my friends have used them. Some of course are better than others. It seems like the ones that have gone with an established/national company (with a local branch in town) have done better than the ones that have used local or smaller headhunter groups.

Most headhunters specialize in a specific industry so you have to find one that specializes in the type of job/industry you want to work in (ie engineering vs. accounting/finance vs. graphic design). This is where you just have to start asking people if they have heard of any headhunter companies in your industry and start Googling. For accounting/finance Robert Half is the best one to use from what I have heard.

Headhunters tend to know about jobs that are not advertised and they help you negotiate your salary and benefits. It is good to be able to go through them when doing that because they can tell you what is "normal" instead of you trying to deal with the company's hr department. They can also phrase things to help you get what you want.

I am not familiar with staffing agencies. For some reason when I think of that term I think of temp jobs or temp to full time jobs.

kenzie · Chanel

Thank you, Aurora. I've been Googling and found a few things that might help. I'd be looking for agencies specializing in marketing. I think staffing agencies are largely for temp work, too.

Miss Mabel · Kenneth Cole

There is a difference between a staffing agency and a true headhunter. The only way I am aware of to find a true headhunter is to network -- most of them don't advertise.

The staffing agencies (in your field, the biggie is The Creative Group) can help you find a permanent job, but they aren't headhunters.

kenzie · Chanel

Thanks, Ms. Mabel. I am registered with Aquent and The Creative Circle, but you're right, headhunters are harder to find. I just started searching and networking on LinkedIn. It seems to be a good way to find recruiters as well as other people who work in the field.