Headhunter, Come Hither

By: Randy Dotinga When you hear the word "headhunter," you may think of those people who work for huge corporations with plenty of money to spend on searches for top executives. But independent recruiters aren't just for Fortune 500 companies. They may be able to help you get a job too.

While many rank-and-file employees aren't aware of them, a handful of search firms specialize in finding bosses for U.S. newspapers. They're responsible for the hiring of dozens of head honchos each year.

If you'd like to join the party, two top recruiters have some simple advice: Get in touch with them now, not later when your job has disappeared. "It is better to get the attention of a headhunter before you need him," said Rich Papike, president and owner of the San Diego-based recruitment firm TriStaff. "Most of the time, it's much easier for a company to hire someone's who's already working and successful, compared to someone who's been told, 'Please go away now.'"

Approaching a recruiter from out of the blue may seem daunting, but recruiters said it's as simple as picking up the phone. "A lot of times, if someone is thinking about making a move, they'll contact our office directly and talk to one of our people," said Mike Walker, a partner in the Youngs, Walker & Co. recruiting firm, based in the Chicago suburb of Inverness. "Maybe they'll follow up and send some information on their background. That information never goes anywhere without their knowledge."

If you prefer the personal touch, it's perfectly acceptable to approach recruiters at newspaper conferences, said Papike, who travels around the country to meet potential recruitees. "From a standpoint of networking, conferences are our life's blood."

If you do contact a recruiter, however, first make sure the job you're seeking is recruiter-worthy. Newspapers generally only hire independent recruiters to fill major management positions, although the jobs can run the gamut from the newsroom to the circulation department to the publisher's office.

Then, get a handle on what your dream job looks like. Don't go to a recruiter with a vague idea of what you'd like to do when you grow up. Are you ready to relocate to Omaha, San Jose, or Duluth? Do you want to move to a better position, a bigger newspaper, or both?

When you approach a recruiter, be careful about puffing up your resume. Many newspapers are notoriously careless about checking backgrounds, but recruiters are more circumspect and may call to see if you actually graduated summa cum laude or received that Ad Rep of the Year award back in 1986. And don't even think about saying you have a degree if you actually have a course or two to finish up.

"Before we put our stamp of approval on someone, we're going to check out certain things in their background," Walker said. "We're going to check out people they've worked with, worked for, and had working for them."

So let's say your resume is 100% accurate, you know what kind of job you want, and the recruiter takes your call. Keep your fingers crossed, but keep the Advil handy too. It may not be enough. "When companies hire a recruiter, they want someone who's in the top 5-10% of those who do what they do for a living," Papike said. "They want the cream of the crop."

Even if you and the headhunter get along swimmingly, the chances are slim that there's a job just waiting for you at that very moment. But, as Walker said, "it's good to get acquainted." Your dream job could be just around the corner.

COMING NEXT WEEK: A baby is on the way, the bills are piling up, or a vacation to Tahiti is beckoning. There are plenty of reasons to take on a second job. But do you need to tell your boss about your side gig? What are the rules about moonlighting, especially if you're in the newsroom?