How Headhunters Really Work
Shownotes
Episode 334 - Executive headhunter Gerard Miles explains how search firms identify, assess, and approach candidates, and what experienced professionals can do to become more visible, relevant, and memorable to the recruiters who matter.
Many experienced professionals reach a point in their career where the job market starts to feel strangely opaque.
Earlier in their careers, they could apply for advertised roles, hear back from recruiters, attend interviews, and move through a relatively visible hiring process. But at senior levels, the rules change.
The hiring process is quieter. The shortlist may be built before a role ever becomes public. And the people being considered are often not actively looking.
This is why so many senior executives become frustrated when they approach the job market the same way they did ten or twenty years ago. They update their resume, apply for roles online, wait for responses, and assume that if they are good enough, the market will find them.
But executive recruitment does not work that way.
In my conversation with Gerard Miles, a headhunter specialising in the games and entertainment sector and co-founder of Mission One, we discussed what really happens behind the scenes in senior hiring. And although Gerard works in a very specific niche, the lessons are not limited to gaming.
Replace the word “gaming” with mining, education, retail, health, technology, financial services, or government, and the same principles apply.
At the senior executive level, hiring is less about applications and more about relevance, reputation, timing, and trust.
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Timestamps to guide your listening:
- 00:00 The Journey into Gaming and Entertainment
- 06:52 Headhunting in the Gaming Sector
- 12:25 Sourcing Candidates: The Headhunter’s Process
- 18:33 Navigating the Hidden Job Market
- 21:16 Patterns of Successful Candidates
- 24:27 The Current State of Gaming and Entertainment
- 31:15 Building Relationships with Headhunters
- 39:17 Effective Networking Strategies
- 42:00 Navigating Career Opportunities in 2026
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Gerard's recruitment firm, Mission One
- Gerard's Podcast, Mission One: The Executive Edge
- Gerard's LinkedIn Profile
- Halt and Catch Fire
About the host, Renata Bernarde
Hello, I'm Renata Bernarde, the Host of The Job Hunting Podcast. I'm also an executive coach, job-hunting expert, and career strategist. I teach corporate, non-profit, and public professionals the steps and frameworks to help them find great jobs, change, and advance their careers with confidence and less stress.
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