Are you listening to the market? While some are contacted a few times in their careers, others may be contacted several times a day. Flattered ego, strengthened self-esteem… it’s hard to keep a cool head. Nevertheless, one thing is certain: you find yourself in a position of strength. YOU have been « headhunted »! It is up to you to select.
Once the moment of satisfaction has passed, you must however keep your feet on the ground. The first contact with the headhunter, the way they conduct the first exchanges, says a lot about your potential future employer. The headhunter is the guarantor of the employer’s image and must reflect their culture.
Risk or opportunity? That is the dilemma. Risk-taking is measured both by factual and emotional criteria. The remaining task is to differentiate between opportunity and opportunism. Where an opportunity fits into a positive spiral, opportunism can prove dangerous if professional changes are too frequent. A 5-year experience in the same position is valued where changes every year or every 2 years can be associated with instability.
Salary greed: abstain. The financial advantage of a position is probably the number 1 criterion of a candidate during a professional change. Salary offers are on the order of 10 to 15% on average compared to a person’s current salary. Pushing the company into its budgetary entrenchments presents some risks. The first is to see the offer withdrawn. The second is to create higher expectations from the employer, commensurate with the financial effort agreed.
Measure all impacts. The unexpected call from a headhunter is an unforgettable experience. It implies questioning and reflection at all levels: personal, family and professional. All impacts must be measured, starting with the playing field that is offered. Understanding the employer’s vision, culture, but also internal functioning are all essential information to take into consideration.
Professional humility. Recruiting one’s employer is an unusual exercise. Having the wind in your sails is not antinomic with professional humility. Through pride, a position of self-sufficiency will be eliminating. In the end, the employer will consider all candidates equally with regard to their own criteria.
