So who represents you? Headhunting, by its very design, creates
an inescapable conflict of interest and imbalance of power, putting
professionals at constant risk of having their searches compromised
or current position jeopardized. And these abuses and risks exist
despite a professional's level of success, and are always without
adequate recourse or redress. Given an alternative, why would
any sophisticated professional expose themselves and their careers
to such risks? Most professionals, despite their qualifications, are unaware
of the competitive implications of headhunting, in which employers
who pay placement fees do so only for "perfect" candidates. Any
résumé not precisely matching their current requirement is considered
"imperfect" despite the fact that the candidate could often fully
satisfy or exceed the employer's expectations. The very existence
of a placement fee alters the evaluation criteria and threshold
for review, and often, becomes a decisive factor denying a candidate
the consideration their qualifications might warrant in a fee-neutral
evaluation and selection process. In reality, not every qualified
candidate is a fee-worthy one. What makes one candidate fee worthy
and another not? Nisus knows. And we counsel our clients accordingly.
It's part of what we call objective, responsible representation. Remember, in headhunting the professional is never the client.
But Nisus represents individuals, not institutions. Headhunters
have no allegiance or accountability to you. They have nothing
to lose. And you? Everything. Your credibility, your reputation,
and in some cases, your current position or prospective opportunity.
So headhunting is free, but at what cost? Your clients hire the
best representation available. Shouldn't you do the same?
Who Represents You?
The very principles that guide our practice, and are responsible
for our reputation and success, create unacceptable restrictions
and limitations for legal and executive search firms and recruiters,
or headhunters. To them, the professional or candidate is the
"applicant" or product, never the client. Whether the headhunter
works on retainer or contingency, their client is the employer.
In the headhunting industry, being applicant-oriented is the cardinal
sin.
Headhunting Is Free. But At What Cost?
The true character of the headhunting business is rarely seen.
Professionals reason: "It's free to me. The employer pays, so
why not hedge my bets and work with as many as possible?" Because
doing that magnifies the risks and abuses that are common in the
business. Through our Search Review & Remediation activities for clients whose previous search efforts failed or
were unsatisfactory, Nisus has identified factors that account
for many failed or stalled searches. And a frequent cause is inadequate
or improper representation. Of course, this can result from the
actions (or omissions) of either headhunters or individuals who
elect to pursue situations through their own efforts.