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Headhunter job description

A Headhunter is a recruitment professional responsible for coordinating with hiring managers, sourcing candidates through various channels, and engaging with them through email or phone. They utilize sourcing techniques, maintain candidate databases, attend job fairs, and research compensation benchmarks.

Nikoletta Bika
Nikoletta Bika

Nikoletta holds an MSc in HR management and has written extensively about all things HR and recruiting.

Refreshed on

June 14, 2023

Reviewed by

Eftychia Karavelaki

Senior Recruitment Manager

Use this Headhunter job description template to attract and hire HR professionals. You can also easily customize this template for in-house or agency Recruiter roles.

What is a Headhunter?

A Headhunter is a recruitment professional who specializes in finding qualified candidates for open positions within an organization. They work closely with hiring managers to define job requirements, actively search for potential candidates, and engage with them through various channels.

What does a Headhunter do?

A Headhunter is responsible for coordinating with hiring managers to define job requirements, sourcing potential candidates through various channels such as social media and resume databases, and reaching out to prospects via email or phone. They maintain candidate databases, attend job fairs, and utilize sourcing techniques to find qualified candidates for hard-to-fill roles. Additionally, they measure the source of hire and time-to-fill for each role, conduct benchmark research on compensation and benefits, and recommend new sourcing tools and techniques.

Headhunter responsibilities include:

  • Coordinating with hiring managers to define necessary requirements for open roles.
  • Sending recruiting emails to passive candidates and following up when necessary.
  • Browsing resume databases and portfolio sites.

headhunter job description

Job brief

We are seeking a skilled Headhunter to join our HR team and assist us in recruiting qualified candidates for our open positions.

As a Headhunter, your responsibilities will include establishing hiring criteria, utilizing social media platforms to source potential candidates, and engaging with prospects through email or phone. Strong communication skills are essential for effectively interacting with candidates and internal teams.

Familiarity with various online and offline sourcing techniques, such as networking at career events and utilizing resume databases, is also important.

Ultimately, your role will involve promptly placing qualified candidates and proactively building talent pipelines to meet our future hiring requirements. Join our team and contribute to our success in finding exceptional talent.

Responsibilities

  • Coordinate with hiring managers to define necessary requirements for open roles
  • Send recruiting emails to passive candidates and follow up when necessary
  • Browse resume databases and portfolio sites
  • Join social media groups and professional networks and interact with potential candidates
  • Advertise open positions to external networks
  • Ask for referrals from current employees, acquaintances and industry professionals
  • Maintain organized databases with candidates’ data (e.g. in our ATS)
  • Attend job fairs and organize career events
  • Keep in touch with past applicants
  • Use Boolean search to look for qualified candidates for hard-to-fill roles
  • Conduct benchmark research on compensation and benefits for various positions and seniority levels
  • Measure source of hire and time-to-fill for each role
  • Research and recommend new sourcing tools and techniques

Requirements and skills

  • Proven work experience as a Headhunter, Recruiter or similar
  • Advanced knowledge of sourcing techniques (including Boolean search)
  • Hands-on experience with sourcing tools (e.g. resume databases and portfolio sites)
  • Familiarity with HR databases and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs)
  • Excellent communication and persuasion abilities (particularly when making cold calls and sending recruiting emails)
  • Time-management skills with the ability to handle multiple open roles simultaneously
  • Good decision-making skills
  • BSc degree in Human Resources Management or relevant field

Frequently asked questions

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