How many people can honestly say they are good managers? He or she may be excellent at organizing their business, directing projects, meeting deadlines and the like. How many of us sit down and actively manage our careers. A wise man once told me, "If I'd spent time planning my career rather than painting the house, I'd be a lot better off today and could have employed a painter!"

How do you manage your career?
The golden rule that applies from day one is job assignment. The job must have three critical components:

  1. The job must be complex, integrating data from and exporting to a number of sources.
  2. The job must be able to impact the direction and/or profitability of your organization.
  3. The job must be visible. People must be able to see what you have achieved and how you operate.
Visibility is the key to success.
Visibility is key to successful job assignment and ultimately advancement. You need to be seen and seen to be doing - not only within the organization but also outside. However it is very difficult to become world famous in any field. So how do you get on the radar screen? There are a number of ways to be visible, including working for the right organization and establishing a relationship with a reliable headhunter. Not many people know that two in five positions in the $90,000 to $150,000 salary range are filled with the involvement of a headhunter. That rises to one in two for positions over $150,000 annually.

There are several types of firms working in the recruitment industry. There are companies that work on a retained basis; they are contracted to find and recruit the best candidate for their client and are totally confidential. Others work on a contingent basis; a client asks if they have an XYZ candidate and the recruiter will send over all of the resumes he has of people who could possibly fill that position. They usually do not contact the candidate prior to sending his or her resume. This can be embarrassing if it lands on the desk of someone you know -- and it does happen. Some contingent recruiters will 'blast' your resume to a number of companies as soon as you send it to them -- hoping to get lucky and pick up a fee. It does you no service to have your resume in general circulation -- unless you're currently unemployed.

When should you contact a headhunter?
It is never too early to establish contact with the right headhunter. There is an old maxim that says the best time to look for a new job is to do so before you need one. Find a headhunter that knows what you do and understands the industry -- preferably someone who has worked in the industry. Make contact with him; explain where you are in your career and what you're looking for. Headhunters understand that you may not be looking for a new position at this time. All you want is to get on the radar screen. Let this person be your eyes and ears to make sure the right opportunity to progress your career doesn't slip by.

How do headhunters find their people?
Headhunters look to the 'academy' companies where experience, technical grounding, and leadership is well regarded. These companies are fertile hunting grounds and graduates from these 'academies' are sought after in the industry at large. Active participation in professional societies and the outside community will also improve your visibility. Typically, headhunters like to see candidates that have been given new challenges within their organization every 2 to 3 years. Headhunters are looking for people with the courage and energy to embrace new challenges and who are ready to continue their professional growth.

Try and meet with the headhunter in person and stay in periodic contact. Call once a year to update your current assignment and let him or her know that you're still around. Recruiters will call you for one of a number of reasons: either to sound you out for an available project or to determine whether you may be a source to identify candidates for a project. Remember, the more memorable you are to the recruiter, the more the recruiter will remember you when the right project comes in.