Only when a candidate is successfully placed in a position does a headhunter make money. Independent, third-party recruiters are frequently compensated on a contingency basis, which means they are paid only if their applicant is hired. A common fee ranges from 20% to 30% of a new hire's entire first-year compensation. Because headhunters work for the company rather than the candidate, they have an incentive to please them.
Anyone can work as a headhunter or recruiter because there are no licensing requirements. Professional recruiters with huge networks of customers and applicants frequently compete with less-reputable recruiters. They may act similarly to an unsolicited email, phone call, or LinkedIn request.