3 Top Tips To Improve Your Chances of Getting Headhunted

When you are looking for a new job opportunity, no matter who you are or what you do being headhunted feels good, feels great in fact, and is a sure sign that you are doing something right.

Sitting back and waiting to be headhunted might be a risky strategy, one that I wouldn’t recommend. After all, to get headhunted you need to be the type of person that doesn’t sit back; you need to be the type of person that stands out, that goes the extra mile. However, there are ways you can improve your chances of getting headhunted whilst also continuing your search.

Get online

I don’t need to tell you that almost everything is online and there is no exception when it comes to sourcing for potential candidates. A company will turn one of two ways when they are looking to recruit. They will either look to fill the role internally or they will employ the help of a recruitment agency – both options will of course involve searching the internet.

Now when I say ‘get online’ I’m not referring to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest etc. I’m going to guess that anyone reading this post has at least one of the above. I’m referring to professional networking forums such as 4Networking, LinkedIn and Google . These are the places that you need to be if you want to be found.

Build a brand

Like with any successful business, branding is incredibly important. Branding provides you with an identity and an identity provides you with memorability.

Now as an individual and not a company I can understand that the idea of creating a ‘brand’ might seem a little strange. I’m not suggesting that you go away and create a logo, I’m talking more about creating consistency across your online profiles i.e. profile pictures, posts, opinions etc. A consistent image with a consistent message is what makes a successful brand.

Interaction

Online

There is no point having online profiles if you’re not going to do anything with them. The idea is to build and interact with your connections. Post regularly, keep your posts interesting and relevant, participate in group discussions and make sure you get back to people.

I would avoid being too controversial; it’s great to have an opinion and opinions are sometimes what get you noticed most, but when your opinion has the potential to turn 90% of users against you maybe it’s not such a great idea. Your aim should be to build a professional and reputable name for yourself. 

Offline

Interacting online isn’t enough, as I mentioned earlier, everyone is online. You need to do things that will help you stand out. Aim to attend networking events and other business related social events on a regular basis. These are easy enough to find online.

Introduce yourself to professionals in your industry and engage in group conversation. If you are new to networking, take note of these tips;

1. Networking isn’t about getting to know the most people; it’s about getting to know the right people. You should leave the event knowing that you have left a lasting impression on a handful of people. Similarly, a handful of people should have left a lasting impression on you.
2. Networking is a two way street. Listening to the messages of others is very important.
3. Take a handful of business cards. Great for exchanging details and great for your brand – a little quirky design wouldn’t go a miss.
4. Be sure to follow up with the people you meet. Whether you connect with them on LinkedIn, drop them an e-mail or give them a call, your aim should be to remain on people’s minds. Even if something doesn’t come directly from this, word of mouth is a powerful thing!

To get headhunted you need to stand out. Try to focus your efforts on building a professional reputation for yourself (both online and offline) and remember that the harder you work, the more you will be rewarded.