Saiyō framework
The Professional Headhunting Process
A structured seven-stage methodology designed to improve hiring decisions, not simply generate candidates.
What the framework says
Professional headhunting follows a deliberate sequence: understand the business challenge, map the market, identify exceptional talent, run headhunting conversations, assess in a structured way, present candidates and support hiring managers through offer. Each stage is designed to reduce uncertainty before a hiring decision is made.
When to use it
You want to assess whether a search partner has a real methodology or a sourcing routine.
How to apply it
- 1Ask a prospective partner to describe their process against these seven stages.
- 2Check that market mapping happens before candidate identification, not alongside it.
- 3Insist on structured assessment against an agreed scorecard rather than narrative summaries.
- 4Judge the process on the quality of decisions it enables, not the volume of profiles it produces.
The common mistake
Buying speed to first CV, which usually means stages one and two were skipped.
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Professional Headhunting Explained
Professional headhunting is not defined by the tools used or the messages sent. It is the discipline of reaching exceptional people who would never otherwise enter a recruitment process.
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