If your company is multinational and you want to find a 'Director of European Operations' or similar to motivate and manage executives in a number of European countries, then it may seem to make sense to give the assignment to a headhunting firm with offices across Europe. But, before you do this, assure yourself that the organization is as international as it seems. Each firm may be good in its own country, yet lack the international outlook and experience essential to judge whether a candidate has the international capabilities you need. There is a real risk, for example, that such a headhunter will not be able to evaluate the candidate's ability to cross the cultural barriers to win acceptance from subordinates and customers in different countries. Such a consultant may even think multilingual ability is the same thing as multicultural ability.
Multicultural ability is more rare, harder to recognize and more important.
So it may be better to give the assignment to an individual headhunter who has these qualities and is able to evaluate them in candidates. It is then irrelevant whether he or she works for a large firm with offices around the world, or as an independent, solo, international headhunter. If you'd like to know more . . . Rue A. Campenhout 63, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.