Headhunters: how to attract the best talent?

To begin with, could you introduce yourself and explain what a headhunter’s job involves?

My name is Océane Lapelletrie, and I am an executive search consultant at Oprandi & Partner Romandie SA

I assist companies in recruiting talent that is difficult to identify and persuade, whether they are technical experts, managers or senior executives. I specialise primarily in complex recruitment projects, where skills are in short supply and traditional recruitment methods reach their limits.

The term «headhunter» often gives the impression that our job is simply to find candidates. In reality, whilst this is probably the most visible part of our work, it is certainly not the most important.

Before we talk about candidate profiles, let’s talk about the company. We seek to understand its strategy, organisation, ambitions, challenges and the skills that will enable it to achieve its objectives. Because recruitment is never simply a matter of filling a vacancy. It is a decision that directly influences a company’s ability to execute its strategy.

In my day-to-day work, I have observed that decisions concerning the men and women who make up a company are among the most formative that a leader can make. They influence a team’s performance, the company’s culture and, ultimately, its ability to create value.

That is why I believe that our role is not simply to identify candidates. Above all, it is to support senior managers in making a decision that will have an impact for several years to come.

What mistakes cause us to miss out on the best candidates… and the best recruitment opportunities?

The first mistake is to start a search before clearly defining what is required.

Many companies know which position they wish to fill, but not always what they actually expect from the person who will take it on. It is not simply a matter of replacing an employee, but of identifying the skill that will enable the company to take the next step.

The second mistake concerns the way in which the decision-making process is organised.

In sectors facing labour shortages, the most sought-after candidates are rarely available for long. They are already in employment, are often in high demand and have several opportunities open to them.

Speed is not an end in itself. An important decision deserves careful consideration. However, a company that is able to mobilise its decision-makers quickly, communicate transparently and provide candidates with clarity gives itself a considerable advantage.

The most sought-after candidates are willing to wait for an important decision. They are far less tolerant of uncertainty.

Finally, some companies are still looking for candidates who match a job description perfectly. However, the most successful recruitments are often those where the organisation recognises potential, the ability to learn and a personality capable of evolving alongside the organisation.

In my view, recruitment is as much about assessing a person’s skills as it is about envisaging what they might contribute in the future.

What is it that convinces a rare talent to join one company rather than another these days?

Contrary to popular belief, the most sought-after candidates do not simply choose a company.

They choose a vision, a project and the people they will be working with.

Of course, remuneration must be in line with the market. But when a professional is weighing up several comparable opportunities, it is rarely a few thousand francs that make the difference.

What matters is the quality of leadership, the credibility of the project, the leader’s ability to make decisions, and the confidence they inspire.

We talk a great deal about the skills shortage. Yet when I look at companies that recruit successfully, I see that their main advantage is not a larger budget. It is the clarity of their vision, the consistency of their decisions and the ability of their leaders to inspire people to want to join them.

The companies that are best at recruiting are not necessarily the best-known ones, nor those offering the highest salaries. They are often the ones that can explain, in simple terms, where they are heading, why they are heading there, and what role a future employee might play within the organisation.

For a candidate, what are the three things they can do that will really increase their chances of being spotted by a headhunter?

The first is to be recognisable.

It’s not just about having a LinkedIn profile. It’s about enabling your network, recruiters and those who recommend you to quickly understand your expertise, the problems you’re able to solve and the value you create.

The second is to demonstrate its impact.

A job title doesn’t tell you much. However, explaining how you have developed a business, structured an organisation, led a transformation or supported a team immediately gives an insight into the real contribution of your career path.

Finally, I’m a firm believer in professional reputation.

The most strategic recruitment decisions are very often based on trust and recommendations. The way in which a person works, collaborates, honours their commitments or leaves a company gradually builds a reputation that will follow them throughout their career.

Finally, I’d like to add a piece of advice: even if you’re not planning to change jobs, it’s always worth having a chat with a headhunter. These discussions help you gain a better understanding of what the market is looking for, take a step back and reflect on your career path, and, sometimes, open up opportunities you might not have considered.

In your view, what is the most significant development in recruitment that companies and candidates need to anticipate right now?

In my view, the greatest change is not technological. It is cultural.

For a long time, companies were in a position to choose their candidates. Today, in many professions, we are moving more towards a system of mutual selection.

Candidates now assess a company with the same level of rigour as the company uses to assess them. They look at its governance, its decision-making capacity, the quality of its management, its stability, its reputation and its vision.

This trend is forcing companies to be much more transparent and consistent. The recruitment process has become a true barometer of corporate culture. If decisions are delayed, if communication lacks clarity, or if those involved do not share the same vision, the most sought-after candidates will pick up on this immediately.

Artificial intelligence will, of course, continue to transform the tools we use and the way we work. It will save us valuable time on certain tasks and make it easier to identify suitable candidates. However, convincing someone to join a project, building a relationship of trust and assessing their potential will remain fundamentally human tasks.

I am convinced that the companies that will succeed in the future will not necessarily be those with the greatest resources. They will be those that are able to set out a clear vision, make consistent decisions and build a relationship of trust with the talented people they wish to attract.