By Steven Ginsberg
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, March 30, 1998; Page F09

In the jungles of the Amazon, headhunters were after grisly trophies. In the jungle of Corporate America, they only want your resume. (That and a fat finder's fee from an employer.)

While the term "headhunters" -- they prefer "employment agents" -- often invokes the same distaste as their primitive namesakes, they can turn out to be lifesavers in the man-eat-man business world. Headhunters often are privy to the best jobs, have insider knowledge of your field and do a lot of the dirty work that comes with job searches. What's more, they're almost always free.

It would be silly, then, to take a pass on what they bring to the table. So when the phone rings in the middle of "South Park" and it's a headhunter on the other end, don't be so quick to brush him off, even if you're totally content with your job.

To find out how to build a constructive relationship with a headhunter, we talked to a number of experts. Here's what they said:

A Lawyer's Friend

"Frankly, all lawyers should always use headhunters," said Jon Grossman, partner at District-based Dickstein, Shapiro, Morin and Oshinsky. "If they haven't called you, you should call them. There's really no downside."

According to Grossman, the upsides are:

to help you focus on your career;

to help define you and your position;

to provide a window to what's going on in your field;

to provide the outsider's view of your firm.

Even though you don't necessarily need a headhunter to learn these things, the more information you have, the better, Grossman says. A word of caution, though: Headhunters are in the sales business. As you would do to choose a new doctor or dentist, it's good to ask colleagues for suggestions; you don't need to waste your time with the ones who simply pull your name off massive lists.

Currently, headhunters are most aggressively targeting associates who have been out of law school for two to three years. A few of the specialists they're after are patent, communications and corporate attorneys, Grossman says.

But all lawyers should maintain relationships with headhunters because they keep up with the market much more doggedly than most associates and partners do. Grossman recommends touching base with a headhunter every six months or so even if you're not looking for a job.

"Everyone owes it to himself to keep an eye on what his field is offering," Grossman says. "You may find something that turns your head and you'll have some hard decisions to make."

Keep in mind, though, that the information you gather is best kept to yourself. Using it to renegotiate your contract is not a good idea, Grossman says. Also, if you work for a small firm, it's wise to downplay your contact with headhunters.

The Retail Relationship

"We just don't have time to field all the people," says Rene Plessner, founder of New York-based Rene Plessner Associates. "One of the most frustrating things for people is that they can't get in the door."

As always, the best way to get a foot in that door is to know somebody, Plessner says, adding that firms almost always find time to handle somebody who has been referred by a current client. How important is it to make contact with a headhunter?

Plessner says: "I'm not comfortable telling someone they should lie. ..."

And why is it so important?

"We get bigger and better jobs and we get the assignments people are looking for," Plessner says. "If Hecht's is looking for a vice president for cosmetics, they're not going to run an ad in the paper. Chances are they're going to go through an executive search firm."

Most workers don't have time to scan the horizon looking for possible jobs, especially in the broad retail industry; headhunters can help narrow that search. Again, then, it's vital to maintain a relationship with headhunters no matter what your current situation is.

"My advice is don't get to know me just when you're looking for a job," Plessner says. "Establish a relationship and a comfort level." In fact, given how hard it is just to make initial contact, it's a good idea to pursue a relationship when you don't have the pressure of finding a new job weighing on you.

Plessner offers a final bit of advice to local retail executives: "Be willing to move to New York; D.C. is not the center of the retail industry."

Mid-Level Maxims

For middle managers, headhunters can serve roles similar to those of agents for professional athletes. Often industry hubbub doesn't filter down to the support level, so headhunters can fill you in on what's going on. In addition to providing perspective, they can prep you for interviews, inform you about companies and even negotiate your salary.

But remember: Headhunters get paid by employers. If you ask them to negotiate a salary, their main loyalty is to the company, not you. But since they only get paid if they consummate the deal, you have some leverage. Make your demands clear and if that doesn't work, you can always play one headhunter against another. If your primary one isn't coming back with the offers you want, call another and explain the situation. Odds are this will make everyone focus on striking a deal. Always keep in mind that you have the final say.

Those concerns aside, it's important for mid-level staffers to form lasting relationships with headhunters.

"We work with these people for years," Fredenburg says. "Everyone is more comfortable when you build a relationship and then we can better fit their personality with the right company."

If you have questions about getting ahead, you can e-mail Steven Ginsberg at ginsbergs@washpost.com