Key takeaway: Headhunting is the practice of identifying specific people who are already employed and not actively job-hunting, then approaching them directly about a role. A headhunter is a recruiter, usually at an external search firm, who does this for client companies, most often for executive, senior or hard-to-fill positions. The defining feature is that the candidate did not apply: the headhunter found them.
In-house recruiting teams do the same thing and call it sourcing or passive-candidate recruiting; "headhunting" usually implies an external firm and a senior role.
How does headhunting work?
- Brief. The client and the search firm define the role, the ideal profile and, often, a target list of companies to recruit from (and a list not to touch, such as the client's customers).
- Research. The firm maps the market: who holds equivalent roles at target companies, who has the right trajectory, who might move.
- Approach. Direct, personal outreach, historically by phone, now mostly by email and messaging. The pitch is the opportunity, not a job ad.
- Qualification. Confidential conversations to gauge interest, fit and compensation before anyone is introduced to the client.
- Shortlist and process. Typically three to six candidates presented with written assessments; the firm manages interviews, references and the offer.
- Close and follow-up. Negotiation, counter-offer management and a check-in after start.
Retained vs contingent search
| Retained search | Contingent search | |
|---|---|---|
| Payment | Fee paid in stages (often a third at start, a third at shortlist, a third at placement) regardless of outcome | Fee only if the client hires the firm's candidate |
| Exclusivity | Usually exclusive | Often several firms compete |
| Typical roles | Executive and board, confidential searches | Mid-level and specialist roles |
| Fee basis | Percentage of first-year cash compensation, at the higher end of the market range | Percentage of first-year base, generally lower |
Retained firms are paid for the search; contingent firms are paid for the hire. That changes behaviour: retained searches are deeper and slower, contingent searches faster and more candidate-volume driven. Both end in a direct hire.
When should a company use a headhunter?
- The role is senior enough that the right candidates are all employed and not looking.
- The search is confidential (replacing an incumbent, entering a new market).
- The internal team lacks the network or capacity for a deep passive search.
- Speed matters less than getting a specific calibre of person.
For roles below the executive level, the same passive-candidate approach can now be run in-house with sourcing software, at a fraction of a search fee.
Where Noon fits
Noon automates the research-and-approach half of headhunting: its AI Sourcer maps candidates across the web against a role brief, ranks them, and runs personalized email and SMS outreach, then learns from the hiring manager's feedback. In-house teams use it to run passive searches themselves; search firms use it to cover more mandates per consultant. One unlimited plan, no per-placement fee (pricing).
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a headhunter and a recruiter?
All headhunters are recruiters, but the term implies an external search professional who proactively approaches employed candidates for senior roles. "Recruiter" covers everyone who fills roles, including in-house teams handling applicants.
How do headhunters get paid?
By the hiring company, never the candidate. Retained firms charge a fee in instalments during the search; contingent firms charge only on a successful hire. Fees are a percentage of the hire's first-year compensation.
Is it good to be headhunted?
Usually. It means someone has judged your work worth approaching about. There is no obligation to engage, and a short, polite reply keeps the relationship for later.
How do headhunters find candidates?
Market mapping of target companies, professional networks, referrals from their own network, published work and conference talks, and increasingly AI sourcing tools that search the open web for people matching a brief.