When you don't want to compete in the rat race any longer, it is only natural for all of the work opportunities to start coming to you. Welcome to the world of headhunters, where major companies looking to fill high-level positions actually train professionals to seek out the best talent.
It doesn't matter if you already have a great job or are getting back in the workforce after taking an extended break. Attracting a headhunter that is seeking professionals to work for prominent companies with an international presence is quite a tall order to fill, but it is possible. Prepare to begin a campaign to get your credentials in front of the right person and you'll have your fill of headhunters contacting you fast. Here’s how.
Keep Your Work History and Education Up to Date
What have you done in your career that would make a recruiter want to bring you on board with a highly regarded company? The answer to this has to be reflected in your work history and cumulative experience. In other words, you need to have notable job experience to get in the sights of an international headhunter. And this work history has to be listed in your resume currently. A serious mistake that lots of professionals make is not having all of their work experiences accurately reflected on their resumes.
Do the same with your education. If you don't have much listed under education, consider getting an MBA. Learn why an MBA is the best degree for professionals looking to further their careers by going to this site. You might have started with your current place of employment and been promoted three times already, but if that isn't on your resume, then how will a headhunter know? Add everything, no matter how big or small, to make your resume more impressive with an up to date list of positions you have held, companies you have worked with, and the level of education you have completed.
Have Your Resume Posted Online
A great resume is the most important thing to a headhunter. Sometimes resumes are shopped around and put on file, but headhunters spend much of their time looking for new leads. This is why you must have your resume posted on the internet. Whether you host your own professional website or you belong to LinkedIn, your resume has to be accessible. Having your resume posted on various platforms will hopefully get you in contact with even more recruiters. While you may or may not want to interview for every position you get offered, it is still great to have opportunities coming your way. Additionally, making connections with recruiters gives you more options if you should ever change your mind.
Take a Great Headshot
On most professional network websites, there will be a place for you to include a photo. While some professionals can get away with including candid shots, and some include snaps with their family, you should include a simplistic headshot. Dress yourself up and make sure you have the right lighting.
Stay Connected with Fellow Alumni
In Portugal, university graduates often create clubs to stay connected to people from various graduating classes. Even people that you didn't become acquainted with during your time at college can become great resources in the years following. The connections that you make with fellow alumni are critical for attracting headhunters. First and foremost, they generally work in the same field. Since many of them graduated with the same concentration, they are more than likely working for the very companies that you are interested in. You can join a professional club and look for alumni there, go to events hosted by your alma mater, or look for alumni on social networks. Make a few friends with people you went to school with and you will connect with more headhunters.
Describe Your Work Responsibilities
You can list every position you have ever held. Your resume may also describe all of your education in precise detail. What recruiters want to know is what you do on a day-to-day basis at work. What are your job responsibilities, and how have you progressed in your professional career? Do you manage a team of people, or are you an independent employee? Healthcare workers may have a list of the types of software they are familiar with, as well as the types of responsibilities that they have in their departments. Professionals with an MBA might cover the protocols they utilize in fulfilling certain tasks. As you check off your work responsibilities, also cover how your presence is an overall asset to your employer.
Follow Up on Leads
Not all recruiters will reach out the same way. You could get an email from one and a message on LinkedIn from another. Friends and colleagues that you have talked to in the past might even pass you the details of a headhunter who is looking for someone just like you. Follow up on these leads, and don't let a lot of time pass before you make an inquiry. Remember that recruiters are not just trying to fill positions with the best candidates, but they are also trying to do so as fast as they can. A job might be available today, but it could easily be filled by the end of the week. In addition, following up on all leads will make you look more serious and dependable. You have a great chance of being contacted for other opportunities if a recruiter sees that you are a go-getter.
Distinguish Yourself
The one thing that every person seeking out international recruiters can do to have the best chance is to be a little different. You're working in a corporate position, so there's only so much you can do on a physical level. Okay, that is understood. But you can still stand out. Your headshot can be what really sells you. Your resume might feature a premium font. You could start taking a series of classes to teach yourself to code. Perhaps you highlight the fact that you volunteer with a number of charities. And if you are looking to work internationally, picking up a foreign language is highly suggested. Know the market, study the industry, and see what recruiters are really looking for.
Represent Your Company Professionally
Companies will sometimes send recruiters to inquire with professionals who are already employed. These individuals have everything that company is looking for in an employee, and they often offer great benefits packages and higher salaries to attract them. So, what you should take from this is that you have to represent your current employer in a consummate and professional manner. Avoid doing anything that would cause controversy at your job, especially if you have a higher-level position. When you go to the grocery store or even go on vacation to Portugal, you have to be mindful of how you conduct yourself. It can be hard to feel like you are always under a microscope, but unfortunately this comes with the job. Your professional image is one of the most important assets that you can take with you from company to company. Establish it well, and recruiters will always be knocking at your door.
Stay Active in Your Professional Community
Compare the career of a person who has been social and active to the career of a professional who stays true to themselves and you will see the differences. Careers have to be developed and honed, just as if you were going to the gym. If you earned a degree in the 1990s, much of what you learned then could be outdated by now if you haven't continued to learn. You have to stay active professionally, going to events and making your colleagues an important part of your life. Someone who you meet in your career now might be able to help you meet recruiters later on. Take breaks when you need to, but don't let it be years between networking activities. Send out emails to former co-workers, and send out holiday cards to your alumni friends. They will remember the efforts that you took when you didn't have to, and that will be a benefit when new career opportunities come about. Be the first one to know about a job opening with this method.
Keep Your Personal Life Private
Feel free to post about family gatherings on your personal social media pages, but anyone looking to connect with a headhunter should be very familiar with keeping their personal and professional lives separate. If you have your resume posted with your picture, then anything that you put on the internet about your private life can easily be connected. For practical reasons, what you post about your personal life should be mundane and not polarizing. You take a risk when you post your political views or anything else that could offend a large group. Either keep all of your personal pages private or delete them altogether when looking to attract headhunters.
Realize that headhunters work tirelessly to find the best potential candidates for their clients, so they spend a lot of time vetting every qualified person that they find. By the time that a headhunter has contacted you, they are confident that you are the man or woman for the job. Check your resume for errors and change up your headshot if you aren't getting any leads. You can make yourself stand out more and look more appealing to headhunters by methodically polishing your image. If you belong to professional clubs and organizations, run for the executive board. If you know of someone who was recruited by a headhunter, send them a note and see if they can get you connected.
