Toronto Head Hunters should be poised for future business. The Globe and Mail recently reported that a majority of Canadian executives is having a hard time finding employees with the appropriate skills - skills that they require, and that are in short supply. In a survey of 500 executives, 7 out of 10 execs stated that they had problems finding staff with the right talents. Executives in the manufacturing sector, in health-care, and in public administration said they have the most difficulty, and in terms of solutions, there was no consensus or agreement. It would seem that headhunters are good to go - after all, they are the specialists who search and find the suitable candidates, the ideal candidates, even the perfect candidates. But a supply and demand situation like this also promises for a very competitive environment, where the headhunter must rise to the occasion.
The big-ticket issues, like long-term skills development, and future career prospects will be spearheaded by government, but the "search and find" aspect of recruitment will be left to the experts - the staffing companies, executive recruiters, and headhunters who excel in this field. They will source the candidates with the right work experience, the proper technical expertise, and the management skills that corporates are looking for, and they'll do it with more precision and accuracy than anyone else. In fact, beyond the requisite skill sets that executives are searching for, the seasoned headhunter will also deliver a well-rounded human being - someone with a positive attitude; great communication skills; an ability to work as a team player; and an individual with a resilient work ethic. Toronto Head Hunters, like the rest of the industry, are in business to supply that ideal candidate - the one that corporate clients will pay for, and in the end, will hire.
Traditionally, finding the right person for a job was often dependent on referrals - perhaps from other workers, from other departments, and sometimes from external business connections. Promoting an employee from within has also been a good option. But today, more and more executives are opting for a professional approach - using the services of a headhunter. It makes business sense, and it delivers results, and besides, it allows the executive to manage day-to-day business, while the recruiting expert is engaged in the search. Despite the additional cost, hiring an external recruiter can easily satisfy the bottom line. Truth is, headhunters can be an excellent support for both the job seeker and the employer, and this is especially true when the headhunter has a specific niche - like a particular industry (engineering, information technology), or a focus on bilingual placements, or a specialty in hard-to-find skill sets.
Toronto Head Hunters have built and maintained client/candidate data bases for ages, but today, with state-of-the-art computers and software, it's a whole new world. The new "social" web portals have changed everything dramatically - LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook (to name a few) have transformed networking into an information exchange platform that is instant and interactive - and quite often with more personal info than any of us really need to know about. What has now become an international "talent network" attracts candidates, employees, and employers, and is growing exponentially. As well, dozens of high-end software tools have entered the market, adding great depth to the search, find and source process. For Toronto Head Hunters, creating a candidate's profile has become remarkably easy - its very much a candidate's "social foot-print" - a super-comprehensive profile that details technical skill sets; specific experience and expertise; strengths and competencies; and an entire career history.
For employers, there are plenty of good reasons to use the services of a headhunter. Above and beyond having an established and well-developed network of potential talent, a reputable headhunting firm can explore avenues that the average employer cannot - like currently employed individuals, those that are "off-market", and even rival companies. In addition, headhunters can save both time and money on the search process. An executive manager can hardly afford to chew up valuable management time getting intimately involved in pre-screening, initial phone interviews, and face-to-face interviews. On the other hand, a sound headhunter will cover all the bases, including fine-tuning the candidate selection, and ensuring a hiring process that is streamlined and efficient. It's a process designed to deliver optimum value for the prospective employer, from the experts in the field.
Toronto Head Hunters, like their counterparts across Canada, will ideally function as an arm of a client's existing human resources department. With detailed input, well-defined criteria, and ongoing feedback, they will expedite a search from end to end - an exhaustive process that includes thorough candidate pre-screening, liaison with a short-list of prospects, and interviewing. In addition, the headhunter will perform all of the background checks, collect business and personal references, and assist with the negotiation stage, depending on the arrangement. And in most cases, the dollar value of these services is excellent, whether the client is paying a retainer fee, or working on a contingency arrangement (nothing paid until successful placement).
This is an industry based on relationship building - and it applies equally to headhunter-client relations, and headhunter-candidate relations. Clearly, working with one firm, and establishing a trusted, long-term relationship, has benefits for all concerned. The best hiring processes result when a company and a headhunter make a serious commitment to work together, as if they were working on a joint venture. And nothing enhances the human resources experience like good old-fashioned human interaction - with great communication between parties; timely email and phone call interaction; and a professional level of conduct between participating players.
In a business climate that is increasingly competitive, and in a world where specialization has become the new credo, Toronto Head Hunters bring their unique skills and abilities to the forefront. And when a prospective client does the proper number crunching, contracting a professional headhunter can often deliver a pretty compelling ROI.