5 Tips for Recruiting a Headhunter

By Arnie Fertig

"We are now in a job-rich, applicant-poor environment," according to David Schueneman, senior partner at CPS Inc., an Illinois-based recruiting company. He says the recruiting industry is thriving as 65 million baby boomers are in the midst of retiring and leaving the workforce, with Gen Xers anxious to take their places.

Even in the best of economic times, only a small percent of overall hires come about through headhunters. But the fact that they are in high demand, and that client companies are willing to pay their typical fees ranging from 20 to 33 percent of a placed candidate's first year salary, is a great sign for the economy as a whole and for individuals looking for career advancement.

Below, Schueneman offered insights about how recruiters find the candidates they want to work with, as well as advice for getting on a recruiter's radar and partnering with him or her.