is headhunting legit?

Hi, I don't know if I'm being really cynical or if I'm actually stopping myself being taken for a mug.
Basically I got a message on LinkedIn from a headhunter last week and the opportunity sounded great; I checked out the headhunting company and it seemed legit. I've spoken to the person there a few times and they've said they'll put me forward to the firm, and try to set up an interview. I've sent my CV to them but nothing else.
It's for a graduate law programme; it's exactly the sort of thing I want to do so I'm worried it's too good to be true - although it's not obvious from my LinkedIn that this would be the case.
Does this sound legit? What should I do now?

Reply 1

Speckle

18

I think it is legit, but they're not offering you a job. They're just an agency that finds candidates for company's that are recruiting. They'll show your CV, recommend you and hopefully set up an interview. Then it's up to you to impress.

Reply 2

Reue

20

No-one is going to get head-hunted for a graduate scheme. You've been contacted by an external recruiter who's job is to get as many CVs together as they possibly can and pass them all on to the hiring company in the hopes that at least some of them might get a job and thus the recruiter gets their commission.

Reply 3

purplesherbet

OP

1

I definitely didn't think I was going to the job straight out lol - I was genuinely just concerned that even the CV collecting wasn't real.

Reply 4

SlowlorisIncognito

16

Original post by purplesherbet

Hi, I don't know if I'm being really cynical or if I'm actually stopping myself being taken for a mug.
Basically I got a message on LinkedIn from a headhunter last week and the opportunity sounded great; I checked out the headhunting company and it seemed legit. I've spoken to the person there a few times and they've said they'll put me forward to the firm, and try to set up an interview. I've sent my CV to them but nothing else.
It's for a graduate law programme; it's exactly the sort of thing I want to do so I'm worried it's too good to be true - although it's not obvious from my LinkedIn that this would be the case.
Does this sound legit? What should I do now?

As @Reue says, this isn't headhunting. The firm may call themselves headhunters, but headhunters usually target specific people for a specific (usually hard to fill) role. This is a graduate recruiter trying to get people to use their services.

It sounds live you've lost nothing, especially if they've put your CV forward for a grad scheme you hadn't otherwise seen. If it's been a few weeks, I would consider chasing the recruiter once, just to see if they've heard anything back. Otherwise, just move on with your job search- treat this like any other application and don't pin your hopes on getting it.

There is a small chance they may put your CV forward for other roles, with or without your consent. It might be good to put something in writing explaining that you're currently interested in this role only, and you don't want your CV submitted for anything else without them asking you first.

Reply 5

KungPooPanda

10

You won't get headhunted for a typical graduate scheme, but you can be headhunted for a 'graduate level job', just be aware of that.

And as the other posters have said, its just a recruiter doing what they do tbh, depending on the size of the firm there will probably be anywhere between 5-15 CV's that are passed on, if the company is interested in you, they will let the recruiter know and then the whole process will start. If they aren't interested in you, then you may or may not hear from the recruiter again.

Reply 6

Reue

20

Original post by J-SP

Not quite true. I technically headhunt for graduate programmes. I have to track down people who have worked for competitors on work experience programmes/internships and then try to get them to apply for the company/firm's graduate programme.

Posted from TSR Mobile

As with everything you are the exception to the rule :wink:

Head-hunting is legit, but just be aware that having a recruiter contact you and offer to put you forward for a position is not the same as head-hunting, it's standard recruitment practice for a recruitment company. Head-hunting usually refers to tracking down specific people for specific, usually quite high up or hard to fill, roles.

Getting contacted by recruiters regarding graduate jobs is legit, too. It happened to me - I was contacted a few times by in-house recruiters for graduate/entry level roles. I never applied for my last graduate job, as the company contacted me. That's one of the reasons it's a good idea to have your CV on job boards and to maintain a LinkedIn presence, because you never know what's out there and what might come up, and you lose nothing if it ultimately amounts to nothing.

Original post by J-SP

Not quite true. I technically headhunt for graduate programmes. I have to track down people who have worked for competitors on work experience programmes/internships and then try to get them to apply for the company/firm's graduate programme.

Posted from TSR Mobile

What's the point in that?

Like, I could see the value if the company was effectively automatically going to offer them an interview, but are they actually getting you to try to persuade them to go through the whole process again with another company?

(edited 8 years ago)

is headhunting legit?

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