Headhunters in Singapore: A Guide to Recruitment Agencies and Executive Search Firms
Headhunters in Singapore: A Guide to Recruitment Agencies and Executive Search Firms
Expert Q&A Guide by CV Writer Singapore
If you’re looking for a job in Singapore, particularly after retrenchment or at mid-career, somebody will eventually give you this advice:
“Send your resume to some headhunters.”
That’s sensible advice.
But it also creates the wrong expectation for many job seekers.
A headhunter isn’t someone you hire to go into the market and find you a job.
Recruitment agencies and executive search firms generally work for employers with positions to fill.
That’s an important distinction.
You can have an excellent resume, 20 years of experience and a strong relationship with a recruiter. If they aren’t handling a suitable vacancy, they may have nothing to offer you today.
So yes, recruiters should be part of your Singapore job search.
But you need to understand which ones to approach and how they actually work.
Q1. What is a headhunter?
“Headhunter” is an informal term.
It usually refers to recruiters who proactively identify and approach candidates rather than simply waiting for applications.
In practice, job seekers often use the term more broadly to describe recruitment agencies, specialist recruiters and executive search consultants.
They’re not quite the same thing.
Understanding the difference can save you a lot of wasted effort.
Q2. What’s the difference between a recruitment agency and an executive search firm?
A recruitment agency may handle many vacancies across different levels.
An employer gives the recruiter a position to fill. The recruiter may search its database, advertise the vacancy, approach suitable candidates and create a shortlist.
Executive search tends to be more targeted.
It’s commonly used for senior leadership, C-suite, board and difficult-to-fill appointments. Search consultants may map the market and directly approach candidates who aren’t actively looking for jobs.
If you’re a Finance Manager, specialist recruitment agencies may be considerably more relevant than contacting every major global executive search firm.
If you’re a Regional CFO, CEO or Managing Director, executive search becomes more important.
Q3. Who are some of the major executive search firms in Singapore?
Several major international executive search firms operate in Singapore.
These include:
- Korn Ferry — Executive search, leadership advisory, CEO and board services.
https://www.kornferry.com/about-us/global-offices/singapore - Egon Zehnder — Executive search, CEO and board appointments, succession and leadership advisory.
https://www.egonzehnder.com/office/singapore - Heidrick & Struggles — Executive search and leadership consulting.
https://www.heidrick.com/en/offices/singapore - Spencer Stuart — Senior executive and board search, CEO succession and leadership advisory.
https://www.spencerstuart.com/locations/singapore - Russell Reynolds Associates — Executive search, CEO and board advisory and leadership consulting.
https://www.russellreynolds.com - Odgers — Executive search and leadership advisory.
https://www.odgers.com
These firms tend to become more relevant as you move towards senior executive and leadership appointments.
Q4. Which recruitment firms handle professional and mid-career positions in Singapore?
For many job seekers, these firms may actually be more useful day to day because they recruit across a wider range of professional and management positions.
Some established names include:
- Robert Walters Singapore — Professional and specialist recruitment across multiple functions.
https://www.robertwalters.com.sg - Michael Page Singapore — Professional recruitment across finance, technology, HR, sales, marketing, engineering, supply chain and other functions.
https://www.michaelpage.com.sg - Randstad Singapore — Professional and specialist recruitment across multiple sectors.
https://www.randstad.com.sg - Robert Half Singapore — Particularly established across finance, accounting and technology recruitment.
https://www.roberthalf.com/sg/en - Morgan McKinley Singapore — Professional and specialist recruitment.
https://www.morganmckinley.com/sg - JAC Recruitment Singapore — Professional and specialist recruitment with an extensive Asian network.
https://www.jac-recruitment.sg - Kerry Consulting — Singapore-headquartered executive search and professional recruitment firm.
https://www.kerryconsulting.com - HRnetOne — Executive search and professional recruitment across Asia.
https://www.hrnetone.com - Morgan Philips Singapore — Executive search and specialist recruitment.
https://www.morganphilips.com/en-sg - Selby Jennings Singapore — Specialist recruitment focused heavily on financial services.
https://www.selbyjennings.com/en-sg
This isn’t an exhaustive list.
Singapore has many boutique and specialist recruitment firms covering particular industries and functions. The biggest name isn’t necessarily the best recruiter for you.
Q5. Which headhunter should I contact?
Don’t start with:
“Who are the biggest recruitment agencies in Singapore?”
Start with:
“Who recruits people like me?”
If you’re an HR Director, find recruiters specialising in senior HR appointments.
If you’re a cybersecurity professional, look for technology and cybersecurity recruiters.
If you’re in private banking, find recruiters who actually work in financial services and wealth management.
If you’re in supply chain, identify consultants covering procurement, manufacturing, logistics and supply chain.
The individual consultant can matter just as much as the recruitment company’s name.
Q6. Should I send my resume to every recruiter in Singapore?
No.
More isn’t automatically better.
Sending the same resume to 100 recruiters doesn’t mean 100 people are now searching for jobs for you.
Identify recruiters who work in your area.
Look at the vacancies they’re handling. Look at their LinkedIn profiles.
What functions do they recruit?
At what level?
Which industries?
A recruiter who regularly places Finance Directors is much more relevant to a Finance Director than a famous recruitment company where the consultant you’ve contacted specialises in junior marketing positions.
Q7. Should I contact the company or the individual recruiter?
Where possible, identify the relevant consultant.
Large recruitment firms are usually divided into specialist teams.
You may find separate recruiters covering:
Accounting & Finance
Technology
Human Resources
Legal
Sales & Marketing
Supply Chain
Engineering
Banking & Financial Services
Life Sciences
Find the person whose desk actually covers your profession.
That’s usually more useful than emailing a generic address and hoping your resume reaches the right person.
Q8. How do I find the right recruiter?
LinkedIn can be particularly useful.
Search combinations such as:
Finance recruiter Singapore
Technology recruiter Singapore
Supply chain recruiter Singapore
Executive search healthcare Singapore
Then look at the individual recruiter’s profile and recent activity.
Are they actually posting vacancies relevant to you?
Do they recruit at your level?
Do they specialise in your industry?
That’s much more informative than simply collecting recruitment-company names.
Q9. Should I connect with recruiters on LinkedIn?
Yes, when they’re relevant.
You don’t need an elaborate introduction.
For example:
“I’m currently exploring Regional Finance Director and FP&A leadership opportunities in Singapore and Southeast Asia following a recent restructuring. I thought it would be useful to connect given your focus on senior finance recruitment.”
Specific.
Professional.
The recruiter immediately knows roughly where you fit.
Q10. Should I tell a recruiter I’ve been retrenched?
Yes.
There’s usually no reason to hide it.
Keep it factual.
“My position was made redundant following a regional restructuring, and I’m now exploring my next opportunity.”
Then move on.
What have you done?
What positions are you targeting?
What salary range are you considering?
When can you start?
Retrenchment is context.
It doesn’t need to become your sales pitch.
Q11. Why hasn’t the recruiter replied to me?
Possibly because they don’t have anything suitable.
This is one of the frustrating parts of working with recruiters.
You may have a strong profile.
The recruiter may even agree that you have a strong profile.
But if their clients aren’t hiring someone with your background, there isn’t necessarily anything for them to do.
Silence from recruiters doesn’t automatically mean your career is the problem.
There may simply be no match today.
Q12. Why did a recruiter speak to me once and then disappear?
Often because something happened to the vacancy.
The employer may have hired somebody else.
They may have put the position on hold.
The requirements may have changed.
Someone may have been promoted internally.
The budget may have disappeared.
Sometimes the recruiter should communicate better.
But don’t automatically assume you’ve been blacklisted because a recruiter stopped calling.
Q13. Will a recruiter rewrite my resume for me?
Usually not.
A recruiter may suggest changes.
They might tell you that your resume is too long, your positioning isn’t clear or particular experience needs to be more prominent.
Listen to useful feedback.
But their primary job is filling their client’s vacancy.
They’re generally not acting as your resume writer or career coach.
Q14. Should I tailor my resume before sending it to a recruiter?
At minimum, make your professional direction clear.
If your resume could equally be targeting Operations Director, Supply Chain Director, General Manager, Procurement Director and Project Director positions, the recruiter has to work out what you actually want.
Sometimes your background genuinely spans several areas.
That’s fine.
But your positioning shouldn’t be so broad that nobody knows where to place you.
Q15. Do headhunters only recruit people who are already employed?
No.
Being unemployed or retrenched doesn’t automatically exclude you.
A recruiter is interested in whether you can fill the employer’s position.
In fact, immediate availability can occasionally be useful when an employer needs somebody quickly.
What matters is whether your experience fits.
Q16. Should I follow up with recruiters?
Yes, but don’t chase constantly.
If you’ve sent your resume and heard nothing, one sensible follow-up is fine.
After that, stay connected rather than sending:
“Any updates?”
every four days.
A better reason to reconnect might be that you’ve seen a particular vacancy they’re handling or that your circumstances have changed.
Q17. Do recruitment agencies charge job seekers in Singapore?
There are rules governing employment agencies and agency fees in Singapore.
The Ministry of Manpower regulates employment agencies, and job seekers can check agencies and registered employment agency personnel through MOM’s official directory:
https://www.mom.gov.sg/eservices/services/employment-agencies-and-personnel-search
MOM also provides information about employment agency fees here:
https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-agencies/agency-fees
Many professional recruitment and executive search firms are paid by the hiring employer rather than the candidate.
If someone claiming to represent a recruiter asks you for money, particularly upfront, check who you’re dealing with before paying anything.
Q18. How can I tell whether a recruiter is legitimate?
Check.
Don’t assume that because somebody has a LinkedIn profile, WhatsApp account and company logo they’re genuine.
You can check Singapore employment agencies and registered personnel through MOM:
https://www.mom.gov.sg/eservices/services/employment-agencies-and-personnel-search
Be particularly careful if someone asks for money unexpectedly, requests sensitive personal information unusually early or promises they can guarantee you a job.
Q19. Are executive search firms useful if I’m a Manager or Senior Manager?
Sometimes.
But don’t make them your entire strategy.
Large retained executive search firms tend to concentrate more heavily on senior appointments.
A specialist recruitment agency may handle considerably more opportunities at Manager and Senior Manager level.
That’s why:
“Which recruiter covers my level?”
is more useful than:
“Which headhunter has the most prestigious name?”
Q20. What if I’m a C-suite or very senior executive?
Then your approach changes.
Executive search relationships become more important.
So does your existing professional network.
At this level, there are fewer jobs to begin with. Some appointments may be handled through retained search rather than broad public advertising.
You should still monitor advertised positions.
But don’t conduct a CEO-level job search exactly the same way someone conducts an Executive-level search.
Q21. Can I ask a headhunter to keep me in mind for future positions?
Absolutely.
That’s a perfectly normal conversation.
Make it easy for them.
Instead of:
“Please keep me in mind for anything suitable.”
say:
“I’d be interested in Regional CFO or Finance Director positions covering Singapore and Southeast Asia, particularly within technology and professional services.”
Now they know what suitable actually means.
Q22. Should I rely on recruiters to find my next job?
No.
This is probably the most important point in this article.
Recruiters should be one channel in your job search.
Also use job portals, company career pages, LinkedIn, former colleagues, professional contacts, employee referrals, industry associations and direct employer approaches where appropriate.
A recruiter may introduce you to your next employer.
But don’t sit at home waiting for that phone call.
Q23. What’s the biggest mistake people make with headhunters?
Thinking the recruiter works for them.
Usually, the employer has the vacancy.
The recruiter has been engaged to find someone who fits it.
You are potentially that someone.
That explains a lot of recruiter behaviour that otherwise frustrates job seekers.
When you fit a live requirement, the recruiter may be extremely interested in you.
When you don’t, you may hear very little.
It’s not a personal job-search service.
Q24. What’s the best way to use headhunters in Singapore?
Be targeted.
Identify recruitment firms covering your profession.
Then identify the individual consultants working in your area.
Connect with them.
Give them a clear idea of your level, expertise and target positions.
Keep your resume current.
Stay in touch without becoming a nuisance.
And continue searching elsewhere.
The objective isn’t to find one headhunter who will find you a job.
It’s to make sure relevant recruiters know who you are when the right job reaches their desk.
Final Thoughts
Headhunters and recruitment agencies can be extremely useful when you’re looking for work in Singapore.
But use them properly.
Don’t send your resume to every recruitment company you can find and assume you’ve outsourced your job search.
Find recruiters who specialise in what you do.
If you’re a senior executive, build relationships with appropriate executive search firms.
If you’re a mid-career professional, specialist recruitment agencies may give you access to a much larger number of relevant vacancies.
And remember the basic relationship:
Recruiters don’t generally find jobs for candidates. They find candidates for jobs.
Your objective is to make sure that when a recruiter receives a vacancy matching your experience, you’re one of the people they think of.
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