Head hunting is a term used within the recruitment industry and it means to hunt down someone that is usually already employed and try and get them to work for you or the company you are representing (if you are an agency). It happens throughout a number of industries and seems to becoming more and more common – but is it ok to get members of staff this way? There is certainly no law against approaching people and asking them if they would like a job with your business but you do need to think about who they are and where you are potentially taking them from. For example if they work for a company that you have dealings with then you may find that it can make things very awkward and they may even be breaking a contract if they come and work for you straight after leaving their pervious role.

It is best to try and advertise the job and allow people to come to you but if you do have a friend or ex colleague in mind then you may well contact them and let them know what is available. Even if you are head hunting someone but sure to check their credentials to make sure that they are who you are looking for before offering them a job.