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Headhunter Career Guide

Headhunters identify, approach, and recruit high-level candidates for strategic roles within organizations. They analyze client needs, source talent, and manage the recruitment process to ensure the right fit. Here’s what the role involves and how to prepare for it.

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The key points

  • Entry requirements Post-baccalaureate level training in Commerce, Management, and Management
  • Average salary Average annual starting salary (between 25,000 and 40,000 gross per year)
  • Miniature horloge Duties Advise the company on the promotion of its job offer - Search for and identify the ideal candidate - Connect the finalist profiles with the company
  • Miniature discussion Skills Rigor - Project management - Sense of communication - Excellent interpersonal skills - Knows how to listen
  • Miniature sacoche Career progression Recruitment officer - Human resources manager - Recruitment consultant - Director of his own recruitment firm
  • Pictogramme campus ISC Paris courses Bachelor in Human Resources / CSR - Master in Consulting and Project Management - MSc in HR Management and Organizational Transformation

What does a Headhunter do?

A headhunter specializes in finding qualified candidates. Their role is to find the right candidate for the company that has commissioned them.

In practical terms, the company has a vacancy and is looking for a suitable person. The headhunter then identifies the ideal candidate so that the company can offer them a job opportunity.

Generally, headhunters are commissioned by companies seeking senior executives or candidates capable of holding high-responsibility or highly technical roles. However, they may also be commissioned by agencies to scout for talent (models, actors, athletes…).

To achieve their goal, they demonstrate active listening to understand the client’s expectations. Their analytical skills enable them to identify the right candidate, and their conviction makes all the difference when it comes to contacting them.

 

Programme ISC Paris

What does the job of Headhunter involve?

How to become a headhunter?

There are several routes to becoming a headhunter. However, it is advisable to hold a three-year or five-year degree in human resources to enter this profession. Fluency in English is also a real asset in the eyes of recruiters.

Bachelor’s degree programmes:

It is possible to study for a bachelor’s degree in human resources. ISC Paris offers, notably at its Orléans campus, the Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources and CSR, which trains operational HR specialists.

This program stands out for its managerial focus and prepares students for the CSR challenges that have been shaping human resources in recent years.

The course is available as a work-study program from the third year onwards to enable students to gain practical professional experience.

Master’s degree programs:

Students can then continue their studies with various master’s degrees. Options to consider include: They may also opt for a Master of Science (MSc), such as the MSc in Human Resources Management and Organisational Transformation.

Trainings to become a Headhunter proposed by ISC Paris

STUDY AT ISC PARIS…
with a Bachelor’s program
ISC Visuel for the presentation of the Project Consulting and Management Master
STUDY AT ISC PARIS…
with a Master in Project Consulting and Management
STUDY AT ISC PARIS…
with MSc in HR Management

The main skills of a Headhunter

1. Expertise in sourcing techniques: he isn’t called a ‘headhunter’ for nothing. He knows all the headhunting techniques for finding qualified candidates, or even that rare gem. He is therefore proficient in all sourcing methods, whether via social media, CV databases, universities or professional events.

2. Analytical skills: to guide their search and assess the shortlisted candidates, they draw on their analytical and synthesis skills. They study and analyse each profile to identify the most suitable candidate. If information is lacking, they know how to ask questions that help them advance their analysis.

3. Understanding of the professions: the headhunter does not enter the professional market blindly. Like a true hunter who knows his terrain, he takes the time to understand the targeted sector as well as the specific characteristics of the roles being sought.

What soft skills do you need to be a Headhunter?

  • Good interpersonal skills
  • Ability to listen and communicate
  • Convincing and persuasive
  • A born negotiator
  • Analytical and synthesis skills
  • Curiosity
étudiant ISC sur le campus de Paris

What are the career opportunities for a headhunter?

Headhunters have a number of career progression opportunities. Firstly, they may choose to specialize in recruitment within a specific sector (manufacturing, healthcare, retail, technology, etc.). If they work for a recruitment agency, they can also climb the ranks to become a partner or even a director.


Here are a few examples of career paths:

HOW MUCH DOES A HEADHUNTER EARN?
What is the salary of a junior headhunter?
A junior headhunter earns on average between €25,000 and €40,000 gross per year. Their monthly salary ranges from €2,100 to €3,300 gross, which equates to approximately €1,600 to €2,600 net per month.
In-house, a variable component is added to this salary, corresponding to performance or target-based bonuses, or sometimes even a 13th month’s salary. This amounts to around €3,000 gross per year.
A junior headhunter’s salary varies depending on their status and the company they work for. If they are self-employed, their remuneration depends on the number of clients, which may be limited at the start of their career.
In a company, particularly in a specialist firm, the salary depends on the size and location of the organisation.
Firms based in the Paris region offer remuneration that can be up to 20% higher than elsewhere in France.
HOW MUCH DOES A HEADHUNTER EARN?
What is the salary of a senior headhunter?
The salary of a senior headhunter with over five years’ experience ranges from €45,000 to €55,000 gross per year. Their monthly earnings are therefore between €3,750 and €4,600 gross, or approximately €2,900 to €3,500 net per month.
The variable portion of their salary as an employee can reach up to €8,000 gross per year, comprising performance bonuses and a 13th, or even a 14th, month’s salary.
The more recruitment experience a headhunter has, the greater their scope for salary negotiation. And here too, salaries offered in Paris and the surrounding area are up to 20% higher than in other regions.
Freelance headhunters, meanwhile, can earn a much higher income, potentially exceeding €80,000 gross per year, particularly for senior profiles with over 10 years’ experience and a solid client portfolio.