What are the drawbacks of using a headhunter?

Q:You suggest that a person can find a job just as well as a headhunter can. Maybe, but I think a headhunter can save you a lot of time and trouble. So what are the drawbacks of using a headhunter?

NICK'S REPLY: A good headhunter can indeed save you a lot of time and trouble, but relying on headhunters for a new job can also limit your opportunities dramatically. A 2000 study by Forrester Research found that only about 3 percent of jobs are filled by headhunters. More recent studies by CareerXroads suggest it's more like 1.2 percent. Where does that leave all the other opportunities that might be right for you?

Even if you assume that headhunters represent only the very best jobs, you still must grapple with the matter of how headhunters operate -- the good ones and the inept ones. When you rely on headhunters, you must put up your antennae and judge them carefully as you go along.

Look out for these potential drawbacks of working with a headhunter.

-- A headhunter's first allegiance is to the employer who pays the fee. Is the headhunter as concerned about your long-term career success as about the short-term needs of the client?

-- Unskilled headhunters are common, and they might not be able to negotiate the best deal for you. You must be able to judge each headhunter's skill.

-- A headhunter usually juggles multiple candidates for one job. You can't always know how you are being positioned with the client.

-- Some headhunters will distribute your resume indiscriminately without your knowledge. Your privacy and reputation could be compromised.

-- As I've already pointed out, headhunters represent only a tiny fraction of jobs that might be good for you. If you rely on headhunters, you limit your options.

If you've got the attention of a good headhunter, that's great. Such a relationship can be very valuable. Just remember to keep your expectations reasonable and to manage the relationship. The headhunter isn't in business to find you a job, but to fill positions for the client. In the end, this may be the biggest underlying drawback to working with a headhunter.

THE HEADHUNTER TIP:

Turn down that job offer.

Among the many job opportunities you will encounter in your life, very few will be great matches for you. The rest are jobs that will leave you depressed, unhappy and unsuccessful. So what's a talented person to do?

Unemployed people seeking good jobs often encounter short-term or part-time gigs or freelance work. Don't ignore such assignments just because you're focused on getting a real job. These can be wonderful stop-gaps because they provide you with an income and with the time you need to find the job you really want.

Don't accept a full-time job that's wrong for you out of panic. Turn it down, and instead take advantage of the short-term gig that will give you time to pursue what you really want. It's better to pause and then go in the right direction than to get stuck a long time in the wrong job.

Copyright 2009. Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate

Nick Corcodilos is author of "Ask The Headhunter: Reinventing the Interview to Win the Job" and the host of www.asktheheadhunter.com. He can be reached by e-mail at seattle@asktheheadhunter.com or at North Bridge Group, P.O. Box 600, Lebanon, NJ 08833. Sorry, no personal replies.