The Headhunting Business

Book excerpt: The Headhunting Business is the first detailed investigation of executive search in Britain: the recruitment of senior-level businessmen and women by intermediaries acting on behalf of client companies, popularly known as 'headhunters'. Sweeping aside the popular mythology surrounding headhunting, this book analyses exactly how the business works in practice. Dr Jones has interviewed hundreds of executive search consultants, their clients and candidates, producing an in-depth anatomy of this vital business service, now employed by up to 90 per cent of major British companies, which hardly existed a decade ago. Dr Jones argues that the top end of the market includes a number of high-powered, top-quality, creative consultants and reputable and highly professional firms offering a valuable resource to their clients. The Headhunting Business looks at: 'The Economics of Search'; 'The Emergence and Growth of the Headhunting Business '; 'The Nature of Headhunting in Britain in the 1980s'; 'Client and Candidate Experiences of Headhunting', based on an extensive, specially designed survey; 'The Headhunting Process'; 'Three Headhunting Case Studies'; 'The Global Scene', including a section on headhunting in Europe; 'Headhunting in the Future'; with an appraisal of leading executive search firms in Britain, and Hints on How to be Headhunted. It also contains a glossary of jargon and common expressions in use in the headhunting world today and a detailed bibliography of books, articles and relevant on-line material.