ALT-1 Drawbacks of using a Headhunter when looking for a Job
Although there can be advantages to using a headhunter, there are also disadvantages and drawbacks which potential employees should be aware of. These are people looking to line their pockets from providing staff to a given market, which is their client. Unethical headhunters exist as well as those who act in an your interests, and you may just be used to fill a job you had no intention of filling, trapped by the need to work, if you do not watch out for the drawbacks and ready yourself to face them. This is vital to successful job seeking practice.
- Know what you are seeking.
- Never appear desperate.
- Don't take interviews with jobs you don't want.
- Don't be manipulated.
- Test the waters.
- Ask for recommendations.
- Know what you are seeking.
Half of the problems and drawbacks which potential employees face with headhunters come from the fact that they have not given sufficient guidelines as to the kind of work they want. This opens the door to the knowing headhunter who will slot you into a job prospect simply to make money. If you know exactly what kind of work you seek, this helps to avoid the disappointment which may result from taking on the wrong job. Think about why you left your present employment. Think about how you see your future and make it exceptionally clear what it is that you seek. This way, you stave off the possibility of being palmed off with inferior choices.
- Never appear desperate.
It's nice to ingratiate yourself with a headhunter, but quite another thing if you appear desperate. In an effort to gain money, they may use your desperate situation to place you in jobs no-one else wants. The reason for this is that it ups their reputation and gains them more money. They want to place you since they depend upon this to make their fees, though you need to let them see that they are also working for you and that they should have your best interests at heart. It's a gross disadvantage of using a headhunter, though a common one in this day and age when people really are desperate to make a living. Don't be undersold.
- Don't take interviews with jobs you don't want.
Headhunters may try to persuade you to attend interviews even if the job doesn't fit what you describe. Don't be fobbed off. They are not doing you a favor. They are attempting to use you to fill a vacancy. The disadvantage of this kind of behavior on the part of a headhunter is that you have to live with the consequences of work you don't really want, and may not easily be able to escape.
- Don't be manipulated.
Headhunters desperate for workers may try to manipulate you. The word please goes a long way with vulnerable people anxious to please. However, you are doing them a service and not the other way around. Do not let a headhunter manipulate you to please clients.
This doesn't bode well since chances are you will attend an interview for nothing, merely to show the client they are trying. The blame will fall squarely on your shoulders as being unsuitable, and this adds to the stress of the job hunt. Being turned down is miserable. Don't set yourself up for this kind of disappointment.
- Test the waters.
If one headhunter asks you to sign a contract, read it carefully. They may be excluding you from searching elsewhere for work. This is a dangerous area, since if they don't have the right kind of job on their books, you may be out of work for a while. Ask them about what they have potentially on their books before even going there, and also check other offices to see how they compare.
- Ask for recommendations.
If your chosen headhunter is someone about whom you know nothing, they may not be as reputable as you think. Recommendations go a long way to cutting out the guesswork. Ask them if they have people they have placed who can vouch for their services. This shows them that you are savvy and that you won't settle for second rate treatment.
Often headhunters forget the combination which makes their company a success. For example, it doesn't just take employers. It takes good quality applicants as well. If you wish to be counted as one of the successes of a headhunter, make sure you know their track record and be prepared to let them know what you are worth.
A headhunter needs you. You may need them, but your choices are more open than theirs. While you can seek employment through various agencies, they are limited to those who apply for positions, putting them in the weakest position of all. Remember that, and sell yourself as a potential star. Don't let them treat you as less than that, and once you both understand each other, the possibilities of great employment opportunities open their doors.
