A headhunter contacted you — how should you respond?
First verify that they are a legitimate employment services agency (ask for their business registration number and license number, and confirm they won't charge you), then decide whether to talk. Even if you have no plans to change jobs right now, it's worth sending a short reply — it's the lowest-cost way to learn your market value. Before going further, ask five things: which company, the salary range, why the role is open, how long the search has been running, and most importantly, that your résumé won't be sent anywhere without your consent.
First, check: is this a real headhunter or a scam?
In recent years there have been many job scams by people posing as headhunters, so the first step isn't replying. It's verifying. Three actions filter out 90% of the problems:
- Ask for the business registration number and employment service license number: in Taiwan, recruitment agencies must by law be licensed by the competent authority to operate. Reputable firms will give these right away, and may even list them on their website
- Check business status with the registration number—use the Commercial and Industrial Registration search system of Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs to confirm the company is operating normally
- Make sure they won't charge you — legitimate headhunters are paid by the company. Anyone who asks job seekers to pay upfront, put down a deposit, or take out a loan to buy a course: block them immediately
If they ask you to pay a fee or deposit first, ask you to hand over original ID documents or your bankbook, hold the interview at a private home or overseas, offer terms clearly above market while pressuring you to "decide today," or run the whole process over messaging apps without providing company information — if any one of these applies, stop all contact. If necessary, report it to your local labor authority or the police.
Even if you don't want to change jobs right now, we recommend replying
Many people leave headhunter messages on read, figuring they aren't planning to move anyway. But from a market perspective, that wastes a free chance to gather information.
You can reply with one sentence — low effort, but you get something out of it: "I'm not planning to move right now, but I'd like to learn about this opportunity and its salary range. Could you tell me more?" That way you learn your current market value, and you build a line you can use directly when you really do want to move.
From where we sit, the ideal person to work with often isn't someone "urgently looking to move"—it's someone willing to stay in touch and chat every six months. Because you can't control when a great opportunity appears, if you only start looking when you really want to change jobs, you can only choose from whatever happens to be open at that moment.
Look at it another way: the cost of leaving a message on read isn't this one opportunity—it's that three years from now, when a role that's perfect for you comes up, you won't be on the consultant's mind.
Before you reply, ask these five questions
Before spending time on the JD or setting up a call, use these five questions to quickly judge whether it's worth pursuing:
- "Which company is this?": even if it's a confidential search and they can't name the company, they should at least be able to describe the industry, size and team. Be wary if they won't tell you anything
- "What's the salary range?" — asking for a range isn't rude, it's efficient. If it's way off, there's no need to waste each other's time
- "Why is this position open?" — expansion, someone leaving, or a new unit? If it's a replacement, it's worth asking how long the previous person stayed and why they left
- “How long have you been working on this search?” — if they're still looking after three months, it usually means the requirements don't match the market, or the hiring manager's bar is especially high
- "My résumé won't be sent anywhere without my consent, right?": always ask this. The reason is explained in the next section
The most important thing: résumé confidentiality
Job seekers' biggest worry about headhunters is usually “will my résumé get sent around carelessly?” That's a fair concern—especially if it accidentally lands at your current employer or an affiliated company, the consequences can be serious.
The proper practice is: a consultant does not send your résumé to any company before getting your explicit consent, and should tell you which company before sending it. You can also give them an "off-limits list" naming companies you don't want to be referred to (for example, affiliates of your current employer or its clients), and a professional consultant will record and respect it.
How is applying through a headhunter different from applying yourself?
| Applying yourself | Through a headhunter | |
|---|---|---|
| Source of openings | Publicly advertised jobs | Includes confidential, unadvertised roles |
| Salary negotiation | Naming your own price, it's easy to undersell or ask too much | The consultant knows the role's budget range and can negotiate on your behalf |
| Pre-interview information | Can rely only on public information and what you observe in the interview | Consultants usually know the team situation, the manager's style, and the real pain points behind the role |
| Feedback when rejected | Mostly read-and-ignored, or canned replies | A consultant can find out the specific reasons, which helps next time |
| Cost | Free | Also free for job seekers; the company pays the fee |
Salary negotiation is the value job seekers most often underestimate. When negotiating on your own, most people don't know where the budget ceiling for the role is; ask too low and you lose that gap for good, ask too high and you may be out of the running.
Your consultant knows the range the company is offering and where your profile sits in the market, so they can push the number to a reasonable level without making things awkward for either side. And the consultant has an incentive too—most headhunters' fees are calculated on your annual salary. It's one of the few stages where everyone's interests line up.
FAQ
Will a headhunter charge me?
No. Legitimate headhunting services charge the company, not the job seeker. Under Taiwan's regulations, private employment service agencies may not hold job seekers' property or collect placement deposits. Be on guard with anyone who asks you to pay before arranging an interview.
I'm currently employed. Will my company find out?
A professional consultant works confidentially and won't send your résumé without your consent. You can give them a list of companies you don't want to be referred to (including affiliates of your current employer and its clients), and ask to be told which company before each submission. This is a reasonable and common request.
What if I've already applied to the same job myself?
Tell your consultant up front. Most companies and headhunters have rules for handling duplicate candidates; if you've already applied yourself or been referred through another channel, a duplicate submission can cause disputes and may affect your hiring process. Being honest is the simplest route.
Does being approached by a headhunter mean I'm in demand?
Not necessarily, but don't sell yourself short either. Headhunters search backward from a role's requirements, so being found usually means your experience matches a specific need, not that the whole market has rated you. The genuinely useful move is to use the opportunity to learn your market value.
If I don't want to change jobs, can I just say so?
Yes, and we recommend saying so clearly. Rather than leaving the message on read, reply with something like "I'm not planning a move right now, but let's stay in touch." A professional consultant won't pester you; instead, they'll keep a note on you and reach out when a genuinely good opportunity comes up.
Want to know your market value first?
You can talk with us even if you aren't planning to change jobs. Tell a consultant your current role and years of experience, and we can explain the market range for that profile and the kinds of opportunities that might fit. Everything is confidential, and we never submit you anywhere on our own.
Talk with a consultant on LINEFurther reading: See current openings · How to choose a headhunting firm in Taiwan: 7 criteria · Why can't you find NT$1 million-a-year management jobs on job sites?
Want to make sure the headhunter who contacted you is legitimate? Our employment services license number and accreditation rating can both be publicly verified.
See Step1ne company details Ask a consultant on LINE