Do you really need to talk to a headhunter? Moving or not, Lisa Quinn says yes

“Comms professionals need to promote their own brands”

You have recently been promoted to agency associate director or in-house PR manager. You’re enjoying your job and have decided to pursue a career in communications for the long term. It’s time to start building a relationship with a headhunter.

Headhunters have been called ‘a cross between a management consultancy and a private detective agency’. They are client-led businesses who spring into action on client mandates to search the market for the perfect person for a senior role. They are the gateway between the client and potential candidates, and it is critical to your career advancement to develop a relationship with those specialising in your area of expertise.

It is also time to start promoting yourself as a brand; you do it for your clients or employers, and you can apply the same principles to yourself. Treat your meeting with a headhunter as an interview: it is not just a chat. Dress as you would for an interview – and prepare your messages in advance. Think through your own experience, with examples of campaigns or specific situations in which you made a contribution; think about the metrics you used to measure the outcome; concentrate on how you individually – and the team - made a difference.

Some further pointers:

• They can’t help you if they don’t know you. So make sure that you make contact with all the main headhunters in your sector. They will know what’s going on, what roles may be coming up, all sorts of opportunities and introductions that you might find useful.

• When you’ve made contact, keep them updated. Have you changed jobs, been promoted, won an award, gained a significant new skill or qualification, changed location? Are you about to go on maternity leave, study leave or sabbatical? Just a quick note will do - it keeps you in focus and the records current.

• Don’t wait till you are actively looking for a new job. It’s a good idea to get on their radar in plenty of time so that your name comes up in connection with suitable opportunities.

• They will extend the kind of roles you will hear about. Judge each approach about a role on its merits. Some of the best moves come from a suggestion that is far from obvious but could turn out to be right for you.

• Listen to their feedback – advice on performance, hints on personal presentation. They see a lot of people and will have a good sense of context, what other candidates are doing, and how your experience compares to your peers. They will also give helpful coaching in advance of an interview so that you can rehearse in advance before giving a polished performance in the interview itself.

• Give consideration to roles that headhunters get in touch about. Even if it’s not for you, it’s a good idea to keep informed of what’s in the market as it helps to shop around when the time comes to move or decide to stay put.

• Give suggestions for people who may be interested in the job, even if you are not. It’s a good opportunity for a quick catch up and it will be very appreciated - by the headhunter and by the person you suggest.

• Don’t neglect to keep up your personal network – and to start actively networking. Headhunters constantly talk to people in the industry – and it makes a difference if people in the communications business know you and have positive things to say about your work. It will pay dividends in the long term to extend your network and your reputation.

• Lastly, regard this as a long-term relationship. If you do, the headhunter will get to know you - your strengths, your experience in some depth, your personality and approach, how you perform in interviews, all of which they can bring to bear when representing you.

Invest around 5% of your time doing your own PR. Making the most of your headhunter is an important part of that investment.

Lisa Quinn is a director at Taylor Bennett