As an executive recruiter, I get dozens of calls, emails, texts, and smoke signals each week from strangers. They almost always have some variation of the same question: “I’m thinking about making a career move this year. What’s the best way to get on your radar?”
Me: “Well, you just did.”
Before they’ve even finished the question, I’ve found their LinkedIn profile. And shifted them from “inactive” to “active” in our system. But…
What’s the statistical probability that I’ll find myself working on the right search at the right time, with this right person having the right background?
Teeny Tiny.
I’m honest with them about that. Which means that – to maximize their chances – they’d want to get on the radar of the 90,000 recruiters in the US. Surely, one of them will be working on the right search at the right time.
Not exactly efficient.
Instead, here’s the best way to get headhunters to take notice: Learn how to build exceptional teams.
More specifically, learn how to – and demonstrate that you – spot talent, land it on your team, develop it, & harness it to deliver results consistently.
(And yes, how to part ways with under-performers… without waiting a year, like most leaders do.)
In short, master the art of hiring (and firing). And then, be sure that your LinkedIn profile makes this clear.
These days, it’s relatively easy to find leaders who know how to come up with a brand idea.
- Or develop a whiz-bang product.
- Or sell like Steve Jobs.
- Or run a P&L Excel ten ways to Sunday.
But it’s far more difficult to find leaders who know how to recruit the best. Like anything else in business, it’s a skill.
In fact, it’s such a rare skill, that it’s the first thing I look for in any candidate for any role. I know that – if they can build a Rockstar team – they can likely deliver results for my client.
Now you know what makes headhunters take note.
If you’d like to brush up on your rockstar recruiting skills, I’ve got the (free) book for you: https://book.recruitrockstars.com/freebook
Jeff Hyman
Jeff Hyman is the author of
Recruit Rockstars: The 10 Step Playbook to Find the Winners and Ignite Your Business. The Chief Talent Officer at Chicago-based Strong Suit Executive Search, Hyman currently teaches the MBA course on recruiting at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and hosts the five-star Strong Suit Podcast. Jeff has been featured by
Inc., Fortune, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Bloomberg, and other media outlets. Learn more at
www.recruitrockstars.com
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