What Headhunters REALLY Think of Bankers
mod (Andy) note: "Blast from the past - Best of Eddie" - This one is originally from January 2011. If there's an old post from Eddie you'd like to see up again shoot me a message.
You get calls from headhunters all the time, often kissing your ass. But what do they really think of investment bankers? If you believe London headhunter Fred Bayer, not much at all. Bayer breaks investment banking candidates into four categories, and only one of the categories is the least bit complimentary. It's a funny article (at least I thought so) for which Bayer took an immediate skewering in the comments.
His four categories of investment banking candidates are The Best and Rare Ones (of which he says there are only two in all of London - and he's already placed them), The Ones Whose "Jobs We Could Do", The Nice but Rubbish Ones, and The Nauseatingly Arrogant Ones. It makes you wonder if all, or most, or even some headhunters secretly hold his dim view of bankers while pimping them as the greatest thing since sliced bread to the various firms on the Street.
Even though he got crushed in the Comments, at least one person (probably another headhunter) agreed with him, and pointed out a flaw we've seen over and over here at WSO, so if there's one thing you take away from this post, let it be this. Don't be this guy:
he forgot to mention the ones who forge their cv's and memorize the main questions , but when you get them in a unexpected question, they just ga-ga-ga, ..heeee-,, oh , very annoying
Thought you guys might get a kick out the article. Just goes to show you, you never know what someone is thinking even when they're telling you how great you are.
Have a great weekend, guys.
hes a headhunter and dares to criticize the legions of high finance? Imbecile!
who cares, they are headhunters. glorified HR staff. just like HR staff the only power they get is from talking shit about the candidates they are forced to suck-up too. let them have their cute little article.
So I suppose that Hollywood talent agents are just glorified HR staff as well? Afer all, they suck up to clients and might be considered "glorified HR staff." If they are so weak why does every investment banker look forward/need their calls in order to get over to the buyside.
I really don't have an opinon, I'm just stating some simple truths and asking a few questions.
ari gold is a fictional character. the entire entertainment industry is a huge joke.
Who needs who more? Without headhunters people would still get jobs at the buyside, without the 'talent' headhunters would have nothing.
Please tell me this is a joke. You have clearly never talked to a true recruiting insider...
I feel like anyone that comes in contact with a large amount of people comes away with a poor view of them. Look at anyone who works in public service or customer relations. This guy is really no different. Just like flight attendants complain about their passengers being rude, obnoxious etc. so do people like this.
I don't really have an opinion on his comments in particular...just a thought.
Well, if he only knew what bankers think of headhunters...
This is really about middle office jobs. I doubt anyone who could do well at a FO job would ever choose to be a headhunter.
Bro, I think you missed it completely. This isn't about investment bankers becoming headhunters. It's about what headhunters really think about the investment bankers they help place at new firms.
No, I know. But this guy is mostly hating on middle-office people who do product control. Not that headhunters don't hate some of the douchebags they place, but if this guy were placing people into PM roles at hedge funds, he would probably secretly wish he were the guy getting placed.
love it. has anyone here actually have a head-hunter? if we were so useless, why would anyone pay us a third of what you earn for just setting up a couple of interviews and sending some emails ... I don't want to prove anything, just quite surprised that no one here has a normal hh, who has been with you throught the years and is one of your important sources of market info
It sounds like someone went to a non target..
To all the monkeys - don't treat your headhunter as a "transactional" relationship. Take some time to get to know them and forge a friendship that lasts after they've placed you - it's worth it to be top of mind when the next great gig comes across their desk. It's a pretty good feeling to get to the point where you don't have to proactively network like crazy (though you still should) and people are calling you with job opportunities.
Good hunters are generally connected like crazy. Don't mess with them.
No real comment regarding his opinion on bankers - nothing we haven't heard before. Just wanted to note that he calls himself a "recruitment consultant".
Oh no, someone called out investment banking, let's rally the troops. It is a simple job that pays a lot and people think you are important. Why people cannot come to grips with this is beyond me. Headhunters are responsible for matching people with jobs. If they rec crappy candidates they lose their job. They must be both good at sales and good at judging people. Calling them morons is simply a reaction because your feelings are hurt.
I wasn't trying to attack the fundamental point of the article. Just saying that condescension would be mighty out of place if he were placing PMs or prop traders. Not that condescension ever has a place, but if I were to move to a headhunting firm to place some poor BO schmucks, I'd feel the same way precisely because I work in the BO and know how much it sucks. And the headhunters making the same amount as decently successful PMs on the buyside could probably fit in a very small room. Who cares about the tax bracket? Considering the top rate is for people making more than 400k give or take, tax brackets are completely irrelevant at the upper end of the market.
It's less about the money than what the guy does. If I had to choose between being a headhunter or product control, I'd probably pick product control but it's not that clear cut. PM, trader, research analyst..? That's a whole different story.
Headhunters = Peasants!
Eddy,
That entire site is a vehicle for the biggest idiots in London to spout utter bollocks. The editor is a real douche bag and constantly plugs useless articles.
if you think jersey shore or kim kardashian isn't a joke then good luck to you my friends. i hope you find a nice job researching what The Situation's favorite Ed Hardy T-shirt is, because if he doesn't get the right one he might throw a tantrum and that would really piss off your boss.
Are you fucking kidding me, a joke? It's brilliant, I say, brilliant!!! Can you imagine the advertising revenue the channel is raking in?
Don't know why I felt compelled to reply to this, but Vinny went to SUNY and Sammi went to William Paterson University. They know what they're doing. And they know they have to dumb down for the cameras.
P.S. Vinny bangs hotter girls than I'd ever imagine http://www.examiner.com/article/vinny-guadagnino-lands-the-best-girlfri…
Good thing you picked an example that accurately portrays the entire entertainment industry.
If you think that Lehman Brothers or Bear Stearns isn't a joke then good luck to you, big guy.
A headhunter with around 3-5 years experience could pull 200k working maybe 60 hours a week. Although this is mainly with higher tier headhunters, that's not a bad pull.
I don't know if this is what the thread is on now, but to back up Argonaut's point, there was a new story about MTV not long ago explaining how Jersey Shore almost single handedly made MTV relevant in pop culture again.
So I talked to my Mom's college friend who became a headhunter in a barely relevant southern city and she makes about 120k (after doing it for 12 years) and works roughly 40 hours a week.
First two comments only confirm he was right.
good headhunters do very well... one guy I know did over two million in placements.. do the math
One helped my friend get a rothschild gig after dropping from GFC Merrill a month out That was nice I guess they're like the Howard if you're a frustrated Leonard Most are nice people.
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