Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Headhunting..a misnomer for a noble profession?

Whenever some one refers to me as a "headhunter" I have been very uneasy with the tag!! To me , there is a negative connation -a little too grotesque-for the kind of work I do for a living. Looking up the dictionary, I am aghast to confirm that a headhunter is a " savage who cuts off and preserves the heads of enemies as trophies "!!

And to think that I pride myself for having found a profession so close to my passion..helping people find their calling, assisting my clients mind their businesses better by striving for the right solution, the right person for the right job -by recommending the right job for the right person,..

When I explain to my children that I love solving puzzles day in and day out, so much so- that there is a seamless difference between my personal and professional life, and in turn I am trying to help as many as I can-find the same in their lives, it is a little intriguing to note that the perception of my profession is indeed skewed!!

One hears of the lack of "killer instinct" in the inhouse team to justify the need for 'poaching' from competition..

Are we looking at a larger issue of 'instant gratification'? Is the solution to pick the low lying fruits?

I would like to believe it is all about preparing the field right for raising one's crop! There is a certain amount of preparative work that is done before one even chooses the seeds to sow. Does one benchmark against the best practices? Transplant or grow? The fertiliser, the growth nutrients, the right amount of watering, protection -both physical and from pests, and then wait for the harvest..which would be surely rewarding...

Recruitment is all about understanding the clients business, and appreciating the key tasks that need to be performed by different levels. It is about keeping one informed about the best talent that is available in the market...and reckoning how best they can upgrade their skills in an environment more condusive for their growth. It is about matching skills and aspirations. It is about drawing that thin line between some one growing into the role..(and out of it?)!! It is matchmaking of a kind..as it involves not just one person-but the dynamics of a team..
And the modus operandi..invest, invest & invest. In people, in relationships, in knowledge and time.. and patience, among others.

Now-instead of a hunter, would I like to be addressed as a farmer :-)?!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Many words over the years acquire positive meaning from earlier negative ones and vice versa.

So, i'll say work so hard, all ye HR consultants, that in years to come the Oxford/Cambridge dictionary changes the meaning of Head Hunters to something like what you'd love to hear!