Headhunters vs Recruiters: Which To Hire And Why

When it comes time to hire a new employee, there are two main routes you can go: headhunters or recruiters. Both have their benefits and drawbacks, so deciding which is the best option for your company can be challenging.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of headhunters and recruiters, so you can make an informed decision about which route to take. Which option is better for your business? Let’s find out.

IMAGE: UNSPLASH

What Is A Headhunter?

Many people don’t exactly know what a headhunter is or does, and even though the name sounds particularly ominous, they are actually incredibly useful. First and foremost, it’s important to understand when headhunters are used. Headhunters are mainly used to find potential candidates for specific positions if the business’s HR department cannot do so.

But what exactly is a headhunter? A headhunter tries to find a candidate for a specialized position, usually within a specialized field. If you’re interested in hiring talent from abroad, headhunters can help. There are professional headhunters in Italy and around the world who can help you locate the talent you’re looking for.

The headhunter themselves doesn’t take part in the hiring process nor in the final decision. Basically, all a headhunter does is reaches out to specific candidates they think would fill the role and then pass that information on over to the company.

What Is A Recruiter?

Now that you have a better idea of what a headhunter is or does, you probably already understand how they differ from a recruiter. However, if you have never used a recruiter before and are unsure what they do, it’s quite easy to understand. Businesses hire a recruiter or a recruiting agency to post job advertisements on message boards around the Internet.

Once people have responded to their advertisement, the recruiter would usually have an interview with that person and act as the middleman to screen potential applicants. Once applicants have been through the initial interview with the recruiter, they will most likely have an interview with the actual company.

Unlike headhunters, recruiters can sometimes have the final say in the decision. More importantly, employees can use recruiting companies to refer themselves to various job postings if there is a match.

Pros And Cons Of Headhunters

Now that you have a better idea of what a headhunter is and does, as well as what a recruiter is and does, it is time to take a look at each. One of the biggest advantages of using a headhunter is having access to a much wider pool of talent. This is because headhunters will approach people that are already employed or not looking for a job.

Another big benefit of using headhunters would be hiring some of the best employees since headhunters will track down the top people in various fields. Over and above this, the recruiting process is also sped up since headhunters take responsibility for approaching and locating various applicants. In addition, most people use head-hunting services if they want to keep the open position confidential.

There aren’t that many cons to making use of a headhunter. One potential con could be that since they work on a commission basis, they might try to find someone who will be offered the highest salary, which means more commission. You could also potentially find a headhunter who does not have a lot of experience within your industry.

Pros And Cons Of Recruiters

In terms of the pros and cons of using a recruiter or recruitment agency, there are also quite a few. One of the most notable benefits a recruitment agency is that you will be able to hire someone for the job without actually going through the efforts yourself. This is because most recruitment agencies do all of the work for you, from handling the applications of applicants to the interviews.

In terms of the cons of using a recruiter or recruitment agency, one might be that you don’t have control over recruitment branding. Basically, this means that every time you go through the recruitment process yourself, you can refine the recruitment branding process and make yourself look like the employer of choice.