FAQs

Recruiting and retaining top quality candidates is one of the most important decisions a hiring manager can make. Choosing a qualified recruitment agency whose approach and values complement your own organisation can be daunting. We encourage you to look at the questions below to discern if The Headhunters is the recruitment company that best meets your hiring needs.

With many other recruitment agencies and search firms the senior consultant or ‘sales person’ will take the details of your requirement and then hand it over to a more junior person (their ‘order filler’) to search for suitable candidates. The junior person learns your business second hand; they won’t have met with you and are unlikely to understand your culture, or the personalities of the people who comprise your team. In reality, the quality of the candidates presented to you may be compromised at your expense. So, at any recruitment company you meet with, ask who will be working your search assignment. At The Headhunters, our process assigns one recruitment consultant, an expert in their field, to each client’s search, from beginning to end.

When you meet with the candidates represented by The Headhunters (or any other agency), consider these questions:

• Has the candidate shown steady career progression?
• Or has the candidate jumped around a lot, without credible reasons?
• Can the candidate offer quantifiable accomplishments in their previous roles (ie. measurable results!), or simply vague answers about what their company or department has done?
• What is the candidate’s motivation to move?
• Ask the candidate what they know about the position and company they are applying to? Often, recruiters do not take the time to explain fully explain the opportunity you are trying to fill. If this happens, you are not being well served.

Most agencies will provide a replacement guarantee in the case that the hired individual does not work out for some reason. Three months is a typical guarantee period.

However, it is difficult to get most firms to concentrate on a replacement search when there is no longer a financial incentive. Ask for references from the agency from companies which required a replacement search, and find out whether they felt well taken care of. The Headhunters takes particular care to exceed expectations in these kind of circumstances.

First, The Headhunters defines the client’s needs by

• Conducting an in-depth needs assessment
• Developing an understanding of the company’s unique team and culture
• Defining what the role in question involves and what its processes are
• Confirming all timelines and expectations
• Detailing an ‘ideal candidate’ profile

Then we identify potential candidates by

• Networking, researching, and attracting candidates through advertising
• Utilizing our Talent Sourcing Team
• Screening candidates, collating the result of assessments (both skills and workstyles), and checking references
• Conducting in-person interviews

Then we select a shortlist of top candidates before

• Presenting the client with the list
• Providing scheduling support (and the use of our offices if needed) for client interviews
• Consulting with the client to evaluate the finalists
• Negotiating, facilitating and supporting the acceptance of the final offer

Finally, The Headhunters provides extensive follow-up support by

• Assisting with onboarding for the new hire
• Conducting regular performance checks
• Evaluating candidate and client feedback for ongoing improvement

Generally, The Headhunters specializes in the following areas: Accounting and Finance, Engineering, Supply Chain & Operations, Sales and Marketing, Information Technology, Human Resources, Office Personnel and Customer Service. However, this list is deceptively short. The Headhunters has hired for hundreds of different job titles over the years. Please visit our specialty pages to get a fuller idea of The Headhunters’ diverse skills and services.

Most of The Headhunters’ placements are in the Greater Vancouver, Greater Edmonton, Greater Winnipeg, Greater Calgary, and Greater Victoria areas.

However, we also serve many of Western Canada’s mid-size cities (including Kelowna, Prince George, Kamloops, Fort McMurray, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Saskatoon and Regina). With our dedicated Talent Sourcing Team, and the extensive networks our Recruitment Consultants enjoy, The Headhunters has placed candidates as remotely as Nunavut. Please get in touch to discuss how readily we might source candidates for a role in your remote geographical location.

Please contact a Recruitment Specialist to discuss our fee structure.

The difference between contingency and retained search can be found in both the service you may receive and the fees you may be charged. Retained searches are much more common with executive level searches or with searches in which candidates are in short supply (skills shortage, remote locations, etc).

In the simplest terms, a retained search has your company pay a portion of the fees up front. Fees can range from a few thousand dollars to a third of the search fees. The second installment of fees is typically due mid-way through the search, with the outstanding balance due upon successful hire. Many retained search fees are non-refundable regardless of how long or how successful the search may be, so read the terms of an agreement closely. Often these fees cover the hard costs of a very detailed and documented search process – like additional resources or administration fees of the search. A retained search usually requires you to work with only one recruitment firm in an exclusive agreement. This also comes with the added assurance that a Recruitment Consultant will prioritize time and resources to completing the search.

A contingency search is exactly that – contingent on a suitable candidate being placed into the role. In a contingency model, only if you hire a suitable candidate provided by the recruitment firm do any fees get charged. Service levels of contingency searches can vary from high-touch care comparable to retained searches to very minimal service if a less reputable firm takes on your search, then deems their likelihood of finding the right candidate “a long shot” and turns their attention elsewhere. Contingency fees are based upon a percentage of the new hire’s first year of earnings as per the job offer letter, and are agreed to when you engage a firm in a search agreement.

At The Headhunters, we incorporate the high-touch service found in retained searches in both our contingency and retained search options. Every candidate we work with completes our Workstyle and Performance Profile to give us added insight into his or her personality and predicted performance on the job. Every search we take on has us delve into job and culture fit to make sure the placement works for both your team and the new hire’s career. Part of our proven process is to support the onboarding of your new hire more than any other firm. This sets your employee up for a successful start and reduces turnover and disruption. Ask us how we partner with your team to help build your business by putting the right people in the right roles for you.