When competing in a marketplace of millions of job seekers, how can you make yourself stand out as a prime candidate to contact for a position? Well, this is where a headhunter or recruiter might come in handy. They look for potential candidates they feel would be a great fit for a role they’re looking to fill. The key here, of course, is to make yourself stand out to catch their attention. So, let’s take a look at a few key ways you can get on their radar:
Be specific on your candidate profile. Headhunters are looking for candidates with the exact skills and experience that a company has requested. So, you must be specific and detailed when constructing your professional profile. Include your exact qualifications, industries you’ve operated in, exposure to different technologies, clients you’ve worked with, the size of your network, etc.
Include company profiles for each employer. Headhunters sometimes seek out candidates who have worked with or within certain companies. This gives them a clearer idea of the type of environment and structure you’ve worked within. You might also want to include a few sentences describing each employer in your work history as an overview including what the company does, who their customer base is, whether they have local reach, national, international, etc.
Engage in conversation. Find ways to join in the conversation. Headhunters want to see that you’re engaged in your community, and it sparks their curiosity to investigate you as a candidate further. Take part in speaking engagements, seminars, events, fundraisers, engage in online group discussions, publish your own blog – anything that will help to establish yourself as an expert in your field.
Network – Headhunters are always asking for referrals, so make sure your name is in the game, and don’t stop networking!
Start taking steps to be noticed by headhunters. If you don’t, you’re missing out on opportunities in your industry that could propel your career into a new dimension.