Home HR Glossary Headhunting
Recruitment

Headhunting

Proactively identifying and approaching passive candidates for senior roles.

Full Definition

Headhunting (also called executive search) is a proactive recruitment approach where a recruiter or specialist search firm identifies and directly approaches passive candidates — those not actively looking for a new role — for senior or specialist positions. Headhunting is typically used for C-suite, director-level, and highly specialized technical roles where the required talent pool is small. Unlike traditional recruitment, headhunting focuses on the best-qualified individuals rather than applicants, requiring deep market knowledge and relationship skills.

Manage HR with Hrmzy

All-in-one HR software for attendance, payroll, leave, and performance.

Start Free Trial

Browse by Letter

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
← Back to HR Glossary

Try out HRMZY.

Explore our full platform with a 14-day free trial on Standard. Manage employees, post jobs, hire faster, and manage your tasks effortlessly with our all-in-one platform.