There is an interesting article in The Seattle Times discussing a benefit often overlooked in terms of using headhunters. The good ones can open doors that may at first glance seem closed. For instance, there is this example of a candidate who’s application got rejected by the HR department, but that the headhunter was able to get through. As the article specified, not all headhunters can do these “magic” tricks. You need a “good” one, meaning that doing background work on your headhunter would be a good idea.

Since headhunters get paid upon results, they might have a bigger incentive to land you a job. Many job applications go through the HR department, but get lost in the shuffle or in the initial screen. Some headhunters specialize in specific industries and may have connections going beyond the HR department; therefore they can lend their weight to a job application.

Headhunter Can Open Door You Can’t Get Through, The Seattle Times

BusinessWeek has an article on how to get on a headhunter’s radar… the right way. The article first makes a distinction depending on your career stage. If you’re still early in your career, sending your resume to a headhunter is an option. However, if you are a senior executive, you should abstain from sending your resume to or calling headhunters out of the blue.

Most connected executive headhunters rely on their connections and believe that if you are “good,” you should not be the one making the first move. How to get noticed? By being well connected. This means having a good network of friends. Being referred to a headhunter is always better than cold-calling them. Actually, they are the ones who should do that; after all, that’s what they are paid for. Another tip, having a large network is important, but having credible people in your network who believe in you is also key. A recommendation is only as strong as its messenger and its message.

How to (Really) Impress a Headhunter, BusinessWeek