Modern enterprises are faced with increasingly intense talent competition, especially the competition of senior management talents. When an enterprise chooses the approach to the acquisition of senior management talents, the recommendation by the head hunting company is an effective way worth consideration. However, the head hunting industry has just risen up in China, and good head hunting companies intermingle with the bad ones. Many enterprises, after hiring head hunting companies for a certain period of time, found they could hardly reach the anticipated effects. Since head hunters entered China not long ago, numerous head hunting companies are opened especially in recent one or two years with immature operation and management. Thus, upon choosing head hunting companies, the review of the historical background of head hunting companies is conducive to the finding of competent head hunting companies.

        Knowing the specialized field of the head hunting company

        A head hunting company''s proficiency in a certain field can provide the most suitable candidate within the shortest time. Although people in other industries look head hunting as one industry, the deeper understanding of each head hunting company indicates that they face different major clients and they are adept at various fields. To establish its own specialized field, the head hunting company needs the basic mastery of the specialty knowledge of that field, building long-term relationship with the personnel of that industry, good knowledge of the major companies of that industry, and considerable grasp of the characteristics of those companies. Only by doing so can the head hunting company find the right candidate within the minimum time.

        A head hunting company faces various industries, so no head hunting company can say that it is familiar with any industry. If some head hunting companies tell you they can conduct the business of all industries, it may mean they are skillful at none of the industries.

        Clients can require head hunting company to provide the clients'' name of their own industry and concrete positions, and discuss with consultants of head hunting company over the job responsibilities of certain positions as well as the salary market to better know their proficiency of their own industry.

        Interview with consultants in charge of certain business

        The background of head hunting company is certainly important, and the quality of the consultant is important, too. Before the entrustment, the client had better learn about such information as the industries that certain consultant has been involved in, his clients, communication capacity, the extent of HR knowledge and related laws and regulations, etc. Only when the consultant is very familiar with certain industry, can he establish favorable relations with candidates of the industry, know well characteristics of the industry, and have a good grasp in interviewing candidates. The reason why sometimes many candidates recommended by head hunting company seem a little different from the requirement of the enterprise is the gap of its consultant in the understanding capacity of the position.

        Communication capacity of the consultant is also a key aspect. Only with good communication capacity, can head hunting consultants deeply get to know the condition of clients and true requirements, exactly deliver the information of the client to the candidates, profoundly learn about and grasp the merits and demerits of candidates and obtain the trust of candidates.

        Head hunting consultant''s deep understanding of HR knowledge and related laws and regulations can provide professional assistance to the candidates during their dimission and employment course, and offer useful instruction for the smooth flow of the talents. The expertise of head hunting consultants can help themselves to provide candidates with beneficial instruction in career development, offer guidance for the selection of some job opportunities as well as effectively strengthen the cooperation relationship between head hunting consultant and candidate. Moreover, the knowledge and skills of the consultant can sometimes provide pertinent suggestions and consultation for HR personnel of the enterprise, help them to learn about the condition of competitors and situation of talents supply, which is an important treasure of HR personnel.

        Learning about the operation flow of the head hunting company

        Now many so-called head hunting companies are actually agency companies, who may tell you they hold thousands of talents data, when you entrust them with the job recruitment, they will just search the data in the database and may recommend candidates to you without basic interview. Real head hunting companies will define the hunting range of potential candidates, contact with relevant candidates and recommend the right candidates to the enterprise through strict interview and selection after detailed understanding of the company background, job responsibilities and recruitment requirements. Head hunting companies do not necessarily need the huge database, but they must have favorable hunting flow to ensure that no omission occurs in the course of hunting and candidates are pertinent.

        Looking at the website of the head hunting company

        Many head hunting companies have established their own websites, so viewing their client group and historical records can be helpful to your grasp of their specialized fields. The websites of head hunting companies are different from those of talent agency companies in some aspects. For example, the websites of head hunting companies do not own gigantic resume library, since their establishment of website is aimed at publicizing their own head hunting business, facilitating communication while attraction of candidates are not their major objective. As to head hunting company, the most interesting ones are those key personnel with fine performance and stable work status instead of those personnel anxious to seek new jobs.