[Media & Interview] What Kind of Person Is a Good Fit for a Career in Headhunting?
(This article is an edited excerpt from the WE BETTER WORK podcast featuring JK.)
Q: What kind of person is suited for a career in headhunting? How did you first get into the industry?
I didn’t come from this field at all in the beginning. After returning to Taiwan from studying abroad, I first worked in the consumer goods industry. Like many others, I was exploring my next career opportunity through a headhunter. But during the process, the headhunter I was speaking with said to me, “Hey, I actually think you would be a great fit for this industry!”
He pointed out that I was naturally curious about people, asked a lot of questions, and had a strong business-driven personality with a clear focus on goals. That made me start thinking seriously—maybe I really am suited for this kind of role. And that’s how I unexpectedly stepped into the world of executive search. To my surprise, it’s been over a decade now—and I’m still here.
Q: Were you worried that coming back from overseas without a strong local network would make it harder to succeed in headhunting?
Many people assume that headhunters need to have a wide network from the start. But in reality, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have connections at the beginning. Honestly, no one can know everyone in every industry just through their personal circle.
The core of headhunting is really about getting to know people. We talk to professionals from different industries and functions every day. Over time, you naturally start to understand their roles, career paths, company cultures—even predicting talent trends across industries. It’s a profession that grows as you do—learning by doing.
Q: With so many scams out there, do you actually cold call candidates? Aren’t you worried they’ll think it’s a scam?
This is a question I get all the time! Of course we don’t just randomly call people without reason. When a headhunter reaches out, it’s because we’ve been officially engaged by a client company to find suitable candidates for a specific role. So when we call someone, we always start by clearly introducing ourselves as a search consultant calling on behalf of a specific company, and ask if they’re open to exploring new opportunities.
Most candidates understand once they hear that and are often grateful that we reached out. Some even find a better platform to grow their careers thanks to the guidance and support we provide during critical transition points. Later on, many of them come back to us when they’re ready for another move. In many ways, headhunters are like trusted career partners—somewhat mysterious, but always on your side.
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For the full interview, please refer to the WE BETTER WORK link.