Ask A Headhunter!

[Ask A Headhunter]

Hi TS

What are the regulatory requirements to set up a headhunting firm? I think there is a requirement for security deposit right?

For a new headhunting start up, what's the quickest way to get its first business. Assuming no existing client based to tap on. I presume hiring existing headhunters who have their network will help?

How long does it take to close a deal? That means from client brief to sourcing suitable candidates, to client confirmation of candidate.

What's the agency cut these days? I had hired headhunters myself before and was paying 18%-22% on candidate annual salary. Is that still true?

Will headhunters work on a 50% Comm (that means no Base salary)? I came across a few agencies that work on that model. They hire headhunters on full comm basis.

What's the most lucrative sectors to target?

Are $4000-8000 salary range jobs easiest and fastest to close deal?

Appreciate if you could help enlighten. Thanks.

depends on what type. there is low, medium and high levels

imo only extremely established hh will consider full comms, (those that, whoever they join, the clients will follow them kind)

if I recall, for low and medium the security bond to MOM is 60k and high level is 20k


quickest way is to hire existing hh, or to hire senior people from industry to tap on their network and train them in recruitment (example, hire a senior procurement manager to work on procurement roles or within procurement industry)

typically it takes 2 months to close the deal, 1 month to source the person, schedule all interviews, then 1 month for the person to resign and start at new job (assuming the person has 1 month notice)

agency cut usually 15 to 20%

imo most lucrative is life sciences and fmcg


most easy to close is those roles which require 3 to 5 years experience

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[skipity2]

quickest way is to hire existing hh, or to hire senior people from industry to tap on their network and train them in recruitment (example, hire a senior procurement manager to work on procurement roles or within procurement industry)

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Thanks for taking the trouble to reply. Appreciate it.

I'm aware of the option to hire senior people from industries and turn them into hh. But ultimately hh is a sales job. If I get say a procurement guy just to tap his network but he may not like the sales work of a hh. Wouldn't the turnover rate of such person be high? In your experience, what is the success rate in turning such people in to productive hh?

 

[ruixiang92]

infrastructure and project finance means you are most likely working for an Asian financial institution or even a singaporean one

a lot of potential but can be subject to downturn in economy


definitely more potential in project finance than IB which is currently not doing well and lots of retrenchments

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Mind elaborating on "a lot of potential"?

Also, any idea what kind of exit opportunities are available for people in this industry. Is transition to leveraged finance or DCM possible or common? What are other common exit opportunities like?

 

[TUV2008]

do you know who the client is?

personally, I feel that what he did is too over the top, but then again, maybe their client asked them to do it, (which is quite rare unless you apply for a high level position)

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Yes, this is a senior leader position, they told me the company name that is how I can check on their web site and write all the grandmother story.

Just an update , the HH managed to help me to secure an interview with the employer recently . The response was positive from that session. Now the HH keeps message me to update me the progress and advise me to wait for a week more for an answer .

 

[dhhpdhhp]

Dear HH, may I know how should job seekers who are looking for a career switch decide on their salary expectations, and how do HR decide on the actual salary to offer to successful candidate?

 

[Ahsoon90]

Dear Headhunter,

Just wonder are you familiar with procurement sector?

I had a degree in Materials Engineering but the procurement jobs in many big firms require one to have degree in Supply Chain Management. So I wonder is it possible to enter procurement sector in big firms?

 

[diffuser911]

Dear HH, asking on behalf of a friend who is here on Dependent Pass. She has one year experience from India in APAC recruitment, and 4.5 years of overall experience, all of it in recruitment and technical training.

When she tried looking for a job initially, she was not sure about the salary and rejected a few offers. Also, a few of jobs included marketing and relation building, which she was not too keen about. Now, the interviews have dried up and she is attending the CEI Basic course to take the exam.

My questions are:
1) What should have been the salary expectations, based on the profile?
2) What is the passing score for CEI Basic? Any tips to share? She attended the course recently at Absolute Kinetics and noted many of the attendants had taken the exam unsuccessfully.
3) What should the expectation be after completing the CEI Basic certification?

Cheers

 

[lecterc]

Hi HH

Do you have examples of companies require over 3 months or more notice period for normal/ ground level staff? Not director or senior management.
Thank you.

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[Ask A Headhunter]

Hi HH

Do you have examples of companies require over 3 months or more notice period for normal/ ground level staff? Not director or senior management.
Thank you.

Sent from Blackberry STV100-3 using GAGT

plenty

especially those linked to financial industry

MAS for example, can be non management and have 6 months notice

some banks for rank and file can have 3 months notice

 

[Ask A Headhunter]

Dear HH, asking on behalf of a friend who is here on Dependent Pass. She has one year experience from India in APAC recruitment, and 4.5 years of overall experience, all of it in recruitment and technical training.

When she tried looking for a job initially, she was not sure about the salary and rejected a few offers. Also, a few of jobs included marketing and relation building, which she was not too keen about. Now, the interviews have dried up and she is attending the CEI Basic course to take the exam.

My questions are:
1) What should have been the salary expectations, based on the profile?
2) What is the passing score for CEI Basic? Any tips to share? She attended the course recently at Absolute Kinetics and noted many of the attendants had taken the exam unsuccessfully.
3) What should the expectation be after completing the CEI Basic certification?

Cheers

1) depends on type of companies they apply for. but don't expect it to be high

2) passing score is generally low. and no tips for CEI because the questions and syllabus changes every 3 months. all I can say is if you memorize theory and regurgitate it, then you will fail the CEI even if your memory is very good

3) look for a job in any recruitment agency (even those dealing with foreign maids need to take CEI)

 

[Ask A Headhunter]

Dear Headhunter,

Just wonder are you familiar with procurement sector?

I had a degree in Materials Engineering but the procurement jobs in many big firms require one to have degree in Supply Chain Management. So I wonder is it possible to enter procurement sector in big firms?

yes it is possible. work experience is more important in supply chain although if you want to progress to above a certain level you need a degree

 

[Ask A Headhunter]

Dear HH, may I know how should job seekers who are looking for a career switch decide on their salary expectations, and how do HR decide on the actual salary to offer to successful candidate?

depends on type of work and how similar and what other skills

for example, if you are in a senior management role in one industry got people who apply for another and get hired because of their senior leadership credentials

the hr will do internal benchmarking (means they look at the other people with your type of experience and how much they are paid)

 

[diffuser911]

1) depends on type of companies they apply for. but don't expect it to be high

2) passing score is generally low. and no tips for CEI because the questions and syllabus changes every 3 months. all I can say is if you memorize theory and regurgitate it, then you will fail the CEI even if your memory is very good

3) look for a job in any recruitment agency (even those dealing with foreign maids need to take CEI)

Thanks for the replies. I should have mentioned earlier, she worked in IT recruitment. Glassdoor indications of salary levels vary a lot, making it hard to come up with a quote for expected salary.

 

[dravidan]

whats your take on the economy for rest of year and 2017. recession, hiring etc?

cos headcount freeze at my coy. saw few other coy also liddat. so wondering if gonna recession soon.

 

[mepick]

Is the Diploma in Business and Human Resource Management from SHRI a recognised certificate ?

 

[oohhee]

Dear HH,

Can you share more about the procurement hiring outlook for the next few years?

May i know what is the usual number of years of experienced required for junior management position (AM/M)

I have noticed lesser job posting for procurement roles in banks/tech ops. Since you are recruiting for banks, may i know if the reason is because the industry is not doing well or there is a lesser demand?

 

[Alannxs]

career switch

Dear HH,

I understand you're probably not too familiar with this field but would really appreciate your kind advice.

1) Me, communications degree from NUS, graphic designer for over 6 years, been trying to switch fields, been applying for jobs that say “no experience required”, “training provided”, etc but no response. Is this a bad strategy? I don’t want to do graphic design anymore, not communications also, but how can I change field? What fields have relatively low barriers of entry?

2) Am I considered a job hopper if I’ve had 5 full-time jobs in 8 years, longest job lasted only 1.5 years, but left job #1 because employer didn’t pay salary, left job #5 because laid off due to company downsizing, and freelanced for various companies in between full-time jobs?

3) Are there good prospects for working at a non-profit?

Thanks in advance.

 

[peterblack]

Hi HH, do HH always ask for resume after first call? Sometimes it goes like ... Y dun u send me ur cv and I see what I can match.. What's ur advise on this? To give or not to give only when firm.. Tks.

 

[Ask A Headhunter]

whats your take on the economy for rest of year and 2017. recession, hiring etc?

cos headcount freeze at my coy. saw few other coy also liddat. so wondering if gonna recession soon.

hiring will be slow, but companies will still replace people that have left, although new headcount will be difficult and most roles will be difficult to fill because people will be waiting for bonus to be paid out next year which is only a few months away

Is the Diploma in Business and Human Resource Management from SHRI a recognised certificate ?

Yes it is recognised.

Dear HH,

Can you share more about the procurement hiring outlook for the next few years?

May i know what is the usual number of years of experienced required for junior management position (AM/M)


I have noticed lesser job posting for procurement roles in banks/tech ops. Since you are recruiting for banks, may i know if the reason is because the industry is not doing well or there is a lesser demand?

Usually junior management will require 5 years to qualify as an assistant manager at a good MNC

Usually for procurement is due to supply and demand, because as Singapore moves away from certain sectors, less people will be required, and people are expected to specialise

Dear HH,

I understand you're probably not too familiar with this field but would really appreciate your kind advice.

1) Me, communications degree from NUS, graphic designer for over 6 years, been trying to switch fields, been applying for jobs that say “no experience required”, “training provided”, etc but no response. Is this a bad strategy? I don’t want to do graphic design anymore, not communications also, but how can I change field? What fields have relatively low barriers of entry?

2) Am I considered a job hopper if I’ve had 5 full-time jobs in 8 years, longest job lasted only 1.5 years, but left job #1 because employer didn’t pay salary, left job #5 because laid off due to company downsizing, and freelanced for various companies in between full-time jobs?

3) Are there good prospects for working at a non-profit?

Thanks in advance.

1) Yes it is a bad strategy. Unless you are willing to 1) take a pay cut, 2) do something similar to graphic design but different (so at least your past experience comes into handy)

2) You are a job hopper if you cannot justify why you left your last company. If for example, the company closes down, then you will not be considered a job hopper (but then the prospective employer will possibly question your judgement why you keep joining these kind of companies in the first place)

3) No idea

Hi HH, do HH always ask for resume after first call? Sometimes it goes like ... Y dun u send me ur cv and I see what I can match.. What's ur advise on this? To give or not to give only when firm.. Tks.

Yes they do. Because they need to match your experience to their client's requirements, but they might have other clients who might match your qualifications and requirements even if their current client does not, that is why they need to see your cv.

 

[gamerx]

Hi AAHH, do you know of any employment contract consultation for individuals?Basically he wants some advice on better understanding the terms and implication and whether they are fair. Asking this for someone who recently received an offer from a newly established prop trading outfit but have no knowledge of the industry and norms.