Headhunt

/ˈhɛdhʌnt/ verb

Definition

To actively search for and recruit talented people for a job, especially high-level positions.

Etymology

Originally from 'head-hunting'—the 19th-century practice of taking heads as trophies in certain cultures. In the 1950s, recruitment specialists adopted this metaphor for 'hunting' talented executives.

Kelly Says

The term went from something horrifying to something competitive in business—now tech companies spend millions on headhunters because one brilliant engineer can be worth more than a building full of average ones.

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