How to be a Headhunter - Part 2 - Direct Sourcing

This lesson allows you to make a connection with the most elusive executives in the world and the region, by mastering 5 areas, to be able to successfully:

1. Source top performers

2. Get past the most resistant gate-keepers

3. Get these VVIPs’ email addresses

4. Get these executives' coveted mobile numbers

5. Unlock the rare “physicality sourcing” technique

Most recruitment methodologies and procedures are geared to attract and hire under-performers, as they usually look for family and friend referrals, or post job advertisements on their websites. Still, top performers do not read job advertisements - they consume a different kind of content.

If you want your company to outperform the competition, your acquisition processes have to be better than the competition. Instead of focusing on individuals, shift your focus to the companies in the top 10% and source executives from there, because a company’s performance is grafted onto its executives’ performance.

As a talent acquisition expert, you are not only the custodian of the talent coming into the organization but also the strategic touchpoint for all talent and business, and that is what will allow you to become a strategic partner in your company.

Sourcing top professionals is intrinsically tied to having a great target list that includes direct and indirect competitors, media, and industry events.

Then, begin asking the right questions:

• What are the best companies in this sector, and why? What are they doing that allows them to be more profitable, efficient or productive?

Some people do not approach a top candidate thinking they may not be able to afford them, but you should try regardless, because they may surprise you and join for a few years, which would have a huge impact on business. Always think of recruitment in terms of market equity, you must get someone on your team who is higher up on the market equity scale for your company to grow. Make it your mission to highlight such candidates and target them.

Let’s consider that you are recruiting a CEO of corporate banking for MEA. Here are the steps that you need to go through:

1. List out the top 100 banks in the MEA – look at revenues, asset size, etc. Unlocking these numbers will allow you to build a strategic connection with the unit

2. List out people in charge of these banks, and find out who they are – your best bet may be to go down to the second in command or deputy, so dig into the organization.

3. Google the person and check their LinkedIn profile. Then type “filetype pdf + (candidate’s name)” on Google. If their CV is online as a PDF, you’ll find it / otherwise, you’ll find information about their biography & organizations they’re involved in, other boards they sit on, etc.

4. Direct sourcing: call the company, and call the switchboard, that way you’re going directly to the source. You should try to call the top 20 or 30 right at their desk.

Key things to adopt: Be highly confident, speak with a strong voice, have high energy without being over the top, and maintain a sense of focus, and direction.

Call the switchboard at the candidate’s company, and ask for the name of the CEO’s assistant or office manager, that’s the gatekeeper.

When you get through to the gatekeeper, speak confidently, greet them by name, mention your name, and ask to speak with the CEO. You have a slight chance of being connected.

Realistically, they’ll ask who you are, so it’s important not to stop at answering their questions, which would give you a harder time, so have a question for them: “Is Mr CEO in, please?”

The gatekeeper might then say that they would take a message, so be sure to leave your name, company name, and what you’re calling about, and ask if you could have the CEO’s phone number; there’s a slight chance you may get it. If they say that they would take your number, be positive, and give them your number, but then ask if you could send them (the gatekeeper) an email and have them forward it to the CEO. They will probably say yes, thank them, but end the conversation with “Could you tell me when Mr CEO would have 5 minutes so I can introduce myself and the project I am working on?” which would improve your chances of being connected with the CEO.

After you hang up, send a follow-up email, introduce yourself again, write your phone number, and introduce your project, but don’t stop there: now that you have the gatekeeper’s email, gate.keeper@topcompany.org, use the configuration to figure out the CEO’s email. You can then go to an email tester website, type in the email you think is the CEO’s (for instance mr.ceo@topcompany.org) and you would know if that email is responsive.

After you figure out your candidate’s email address, here are the steps you need to follow:

Step 1: Request read receipt and delivery receipt

Step 2: Write your email. Make sure to mention that you’ve had no communication in the past, so if anyone sees the email they won’t get stressed. Ask if they are agreeable to a call (that way you’re opening the door).

You probably will not receive a response, so you must still try to get their mobile number.

This is a useful technique that may get you connected to the CEO:

Step 1: Call the company and dial a random extension number;

Step 2: Random person picks up, pretend you think they are CEO and speak accordingly “Hello Mr CEO, I just wanted to call and congratulate you on your successes this past year.” The person will then say that they are not the CEO, answer that you seem to have dialled the wrong extension number, and ask if you can have the CEO’s mobile number. If it’s not in the directory, ask for the direct extension number.

Step 3: Call the CEO. Make sure to do that either before the gatekeeper arrives or late after the gatekeeper is gone.

Type the following into your search engine:

• Name of CEO + “###” (country code)

• Your search results will retrieve any hit where that person’s name + country code are together.

Use mobile applications such as:

• NumberBook

• Truecaller

• Real Caller

Pick a country and enter the person’s name, and click on search. Once you get the result, save the number onto your phone, and cross-check their WhatsApp profile photo to make sure it’s them.

Search for the person on LinkedIn.

First, check how many connections they have (500+ means that they are very active, otherwise they may not be reachable on the platform). You can connect with them there, and if you have premium, you can send them an InMail.

• To get their phone number from LinkedIn, you can use one of the following:

• The Lusha Plug-in: click show contact, and you’ll be able to get the number.

• The Signal Hire plug-in: Click Reveal contacts, and you’ll get the number.

• Always make sure to save the number first, and cross-check on WhatsApp.

Once you’ve got the candidate’s phone number if you call and you don’t manage to convince them to take the job, don’t ask them to recommend someone for the job, which would only get you an under-performer. To get a top performer, say “Well thank you very much for your time. By the way, do you know Mr X? He’s the CEO at Leader Company.”

The probability of top performers knowing one another is high because they work together, it’s why it’s crucial for you to have already worked on your target list and highlighted the top 3 people whose phone numbers you aim to have, and if they’re not interested, ask for very specific referrals, and aim to get the contact information of 2-5 people who are on your target list.

If you have a VIP candidate, you want to meet them, if you can’t get their number, go down to their office.

If the security desk doesn’t let you in, ask if you can speak to the assistant yourself, and say “I was in the building next door, and I wanted to congratulate Mr CEO on the great job they did in the last quarter, can I just come up to leave my card?”

You come up, say it’s great to meet them, compliment them as part of the company and create a relationship with the gatekeeper. It would be useful to have a sealed envelope with a job description, a brochure in the envelope, and a business card; give it to the gatekeeper, and ask them to pass it along to the CEO.

You might then get a call from the CEO, and they may seem upset, asking you never to do that again, but even if they are agitated on the outside, on the inside they would be thrilled to feel like they are in high demand. Moreover, they will be impressed with you, and it’s how you make a name for yourself, by doing things people aren’t willing to do.

So always believe in your brand, believe you’re offering the candidate their dream job and continue to do them the favour of trying to offer it to them.

Your ability to get someone’s mobile number and connect with a decision-maker is going to help you no matter what business you’re in.

Make sure you always have high energy, when you’re engaging with a candidate, by standing up, lifting your eyebrows, and having a wide smile, which gives warmth to your voice, making you more engaging. In order to win you have to sell your candidate their dream job so tap into their dreams and visions. That will make you unstoppable.

To recap:

1. Go for top performers

2. Companies first

3. Which candidates are the best? (and why)

4. Techniques to get past gatekeepers

5. Techniques to get email addresses

6. Techniques to get mobile numbers

7. Physicality sourcing