Headhunters (executive search) work on behalf of the company, not for you — that is the crucial difference. They earn their commission when they place the right candidate. LinkedIn Economic Graph: 70–80% of senior positions are not publicly advertised — headhunters are the access channel. How to become attractive to headhunters: public visibility (LinkedIn, industry publications, conferences), clear positioning as an expert in a field, a network that speaks about you (NBER Q022: referrals also apply to headhunters). What to keep in mind when a headhunter contacts you: you are not obligated to accept. Your data is stored in their database (GDPR right of access Q008). Reference checks are conducted at the end of the process — not at the beginning.
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