Breaking down the headhunters - avoid, engage, ghost
The common question today is - what to think about the larger PE headhunters. Having worked with most on both sides (being recruited and now hiring) here’s the breakdown. Would love to get other thoughts.
1. Mercury Partners - next to worthless. Tag as many names as possible to ensure they get paid and do not have any strong candidates. I wouldn’t send them my resume.
2. SG Partners - the least professional/sloppiest and most incompetent of them all. My two firms had to fire them for poaching our own employees for other clients and on the candidate side - expect bullies, leaked confidential information to your current employer, and false advertisements. When hiring I was told that they need me to say I’m a diverse candidate to get to the next round. It’s a shame they are hired by anyone. BX certainly needs to move elsewhere.
3. HSP - I think these folks have been the best I’ve interacted with on both sides by far. While it’s clear that others either have a legacy in with clients and treat candidates horribly, HSP isn’t exceptional, but they are professional. I’d recommend all to engage.
4. DSP - mostly professional, until you receive an offer. Expect expletives and demeaning/offensive comments to ensure you accept what you earned and don’t ask for a penny more. If working with these folks, shift your engagement to the company itself and cut them out as soon as possible.
5. Oxbridge - not the smartest, but quite professional and all interactions have been splendid. The team is not “nice”, but they not offensive, unethical, or unprofessional like others (looking at you SG). They keep winning great clients, I’d engage with them and certainly be open about opportunities.
Thoughts on others?
I personally think CPI is head and shoulders above the rest, by far my favorite in both recruiting and being recruited.
They’re the definite largest (in terms of UMM/MF names) and just have a better pulse on the market than anyone else in terms of insight into on cycle process / timing.
They can definitely be a bit callous / cut through the BS vs others and aren’t as nice, but I’ve found theyre straight shooters who are trying to be efficient with everyone’s time. I.e some of the smaller names listed above might be way nicer in the intro call, but then when they are actually dealing with recruiting they aren’t as responsive or straight forward about what’s going on. CPI will call you at 3am to tell you that you got rejected and should prioritize other funds, which is infinitely better from a candidate perspective vs the other HHs who will just vaguely say “heard good things, fingers crossed!!” and then ghost you