NOT being headhunted on LinkedIn

[944fan]

I am recruiting for a couple of positions at the minute. I am finding it hard so have a number of agencies working on it. All the agencies I have spoken to have said that their primary way of finding candidates is headhunting on LinkedIn.

It then occurred to me that I have never, ever been approached by a headhunter on linkedin.

My profile is reasonably complete. Think it needs a photo and description of my current role. Just surprised that no one has approached me at all.

Any tips on getting your profile noticed? I am not actively looking for a new job but pretty much at the point where I will be.

[p1stonhead]

944fan said:

I am recruiting for a couple of positions at the minute. I am finding it hard so have a number of agencies working on it. All the agencies I have spoken to have said that their primary way of finding candidates is headhunting on LinkedIn.

It then occurred to me that I have never, ever been approached by a headhunter on linkedin.

My profile is reasonably complete. Think it needs a photo and description of my current role. Just surprised that no one has approached me at all.

Any tips on getting your profile noticed? I am not actively looking for a new job but pretty much at the point where I will be.

Possibly depends on how mobile people are in your industry generally? Im in construction and get approached multiple times a week but in this industry people jump about like no ones business.

[andy-xr]

You're not missing much. I get a call a week, maybe every fortnight for a role that someone has, but invariably I'm not the right fit or the job isnt right for me. I'm not looking, but it doesnt stop the calls or contacts.

The way I think about it, recruiters, decent ones, should have enough contacts in their book to think 'new client wants this, this and this, I know Gary has this and this, I'll give him a call and see if he's up for a chat

Someone who's contacting you out of the blue, at a general worker or senior non exec position through LinkedIn is really chancing it based on what skills you've added to your profile, I dont want to deal with a scattergun recruiter who's out for anyone and everyone.

If you really want them to contact you, open your profile up and connect with a few recruiters, I'm sure you'll get heaps of messages.

[Gargamel]

944fan said:

I am recruiting for a couple of positions at the minute. I am finding it hard so have a number of agencies working on it. All the agencies I have spoken to have said that their primary way of finding candidates is headhunting on LinkedIn.

It then occurred to me that I have never, ever been approached by a headhunter on linkedin.

My profile is reasonably complete. Think it needs a photo and description of my current role. Just surprised that no one has approached me at all.

Any tips on getting your profile noticed? I am not actively looking for a new job but pretty much at the point where I will be.

Decent Photo, join a few relevant groups, make sure you have a description both of what you are doing, and what your interests are (work wise) or core skills.

Plenty of good profiles out there, with lots of detail.

many companies now accept a LinkedIn profile instead of a CV, so try to think Online CV

[edc]

It's no bad thing necessarily not to be contacted via LinkedIn. What you describe is not headhunting. It is merely a channel for sourcing candidates. Real headhunting would involve a targeted approach to specific named individuals or role holders in targeted companies. What happens via LinkedIn and when you load your CV to a job board is that you appear in key word searches and you appear to match the basic brief. You are screened and if passing the first hurdle then dropped in another bucket for further discussion.

[Bullett]

Many of the approaches I get on LI and very general or just "can we connect" type requests.

It's rare I respond to any on them, they need to be very specific and targeted to be worthwhile. I'm not looking either but I'll respond to something that sounds interesting if only to see what's going on in the market.

[edc]

Yes, if you are getting daily or high volume contact through LinkedIn then it is akin to nuisance calls and junk mail.

[dibblecorse]

edc said:

It's no bad thing necessarily not to be contacted via LinkedIn. What you describe is not headhunting. It is merely a channel for sourcing candidates. Real headhunting would involve a targeted approach to specific named individuals or role holders in targeted companies. What happens via LinkedIn and when you load your CV to a job board is that you appear in key word searches and you appear to match the basic brief. You are screened and if passing the first hurdle then dropped in another bucket for further discussion.

Thats very true, but truth is most people view being approached via LinkedIn as a headhunt, most Headhunters don't use LinkedIn as the whole point of using a Korn Ferry or Russell Reynolds is to access their candidate network not to send them out running LinkedIn searches, we'd use contingency agencies for that.

These firms are being used less with the upswing of sophistication of in house recruitment functions that are capable of identifying and extracting key named targets or position holders in multiple relevant places.

To the OP, if you want me to offer you an objective appraisal of your LinkedIn profile then PM me, its something I do for a number of people because of what I do.

[FunkyNige]

There was a time LinkedIn would tell you what people searched for when they found your profile, mine was often a few acronyms that represented a bit of specialisation that I had put on my current role.

[Hackney]

OP, have you checked your privacy settings?
If you're only viewable to current contacts you won't show up in searches.
May be worth opening up the privacy settings a little, you can still keep email / phone no. hidden.

[Jaska]

Out of curiousity, have any of you had the out of the blue phonecall from either people finding your CV, or through LinkedIn, and you know you aren't a fit for the job, but can't actually convince the recruiter that this is the case?

Had ones where essential criteria was 3 years in an industry I've never worked in, and was just shrugged off when I pointed it out "Ahh these places never get ideal candidates, you never know".

To the OP, I think it really does depend on the industry. In pharma/science project management, there are so many 'Must have X Experience' jobs with no entry levels that it's much easier to source externally and pay more than to train a staff member who will just leave as soon as they get their qualifications... LinkedIn seems to be their first port of call in that case

Edited by Jaska on Friday 17th July 12:01

[MadDad]

It seems to go in flurries for me, one week nothing then the following week a handful of eMails or calls. I keep getting contacted for roles where I only meet 60-70% of the 'must have' criteria which I find slightly annoying, if a recruiter is going to go to the trouble of contacting me you would think that they would read my profile first!

I would not sweat it too much, if you are in the market for a new role then you are significantly more likely to find one through your network than through an agent who contacts you out of the blue after seeing your L-I profile.

[Funk]

I've hidden my Linkedin profile as I was getting inundated so it does happen. Only people who know me can find me and see my profile, I don't come up in public searches. I don't even really have any info about my roles on there either as I like to keep a relatively modest online footprint wherever possible.

[sideways sid]

OP, I find the cold-calling a bit of a nuisance, but if you want to encourage recruiters, throw them a few crumbs.

Send your CV to a recruiter (or post it on one of the larger job-boards) and wait for the inevitable invitation to connect. Others will soon follow.

Also, check that your profile says "looking for work" or similar.

[MikeGoodwin]

I allow them to contact me, I list my skills and qualifications.

unfortunately its more like spamming rather than headhunting. My messages range anywhere from an £8 p/h desktop support role to a £60k senior network engineer job.

All complete st.

I only respond if I add the recruiter on lined in or if they add me first. Usually the genuine interest comes via email and not a linked in PM.

[Bobhon]

I get about 1 email a fortnight. My profile is my name, job title and Company. No CV details at all. Lots of endorsements for about 20 subjects.

I think that recruiters must just search on job title or endorsements.

Bob

[okgo]

I've had 3 this morning, some of them half decent, some not. Its a huge thing for recruiting in certain industry.

[AB]

Happens a lot, not daily though.

An email saying they have these roles available, you seem a fit, shall we chat.

I don't get annoyed by it as it doesn't happen an overwhelming amount and it's nice to have something to keep in your inbox in case you need to look.

[okgo]

I just ignore the ones that are not interesting, doesn't take that much effort really.

[blueg33]

I have had a few calls from Head Hunters via LinkedIn. One led to a very good job offer. The only reason I didn't take it is that I had a promotion at work at the same time so decided to stay put.