So this may be the wrong place to ask, but I’m curious if anyone has ever heard of headhunters that work for a candidate? Almost every recruiter and firm that I’ve seen only works on behalf of a company, or only cares if you match a role that they’re searching for.
I’ve always wondered if there are services were people will search on your behalf. Paid is fine as it is a pain now with everything being distilled down with AI.
Look, in the end, headhunters whether they freelancer or work for an agency, only work for their own wallets. They usually get paid when there’s a match, i.e. when a role gets filled or (same thing) when the candidate gets hired. To make this happen, headhunters work for both sides. Yes, usually the hiring company pays, but in a competitive market, the candidate dictates the deal.
You can totally approach a recruiter to find you a role for that suits you. if you present valuable skills and, they’ll work their network for you. Usually, you can even get this service while the other side pays the fee. You just have to find a recruiter who has both the time to work with you and a network of relevant hiring mangers.
Sure, those recruiters that message you on linked in may not be interested beyond that one role they are hired to fill; but good recruiters are excited to know about talent that’s on the market.