headhunt
verb
head·hunt
ˈhed-ˌhənt 
variants
or less commonly head-hunt
or head hunt
headhunted also head-hunted or head hunted; headhunting also head-hunting or head hunting; headhunts also head-hunts or head hunts
: to recruit (personnel) especially for executive, elite, or specialized positions : to engage in headhunting
With access to an entire pool of resumes belonging to talented job seekers, hiring professionals are able to headhunt the perfect candidates to fill every vacancy.—
Stuart Gentle
Stuart GentleOnce an employee is trained, they either search elsewhere or are headhunted by other employers for their position.—Christian Alejandro Ocampo
Christian Alejandro Ocampo… covering everything from data analytics and stock market speculation to television, Bloomberg L.P. headhunts from campuses across the state.—Noah Daly
Noah DalyHe also plans to step up efforts to headhunt for the best and brightest at competing F1 [=Formula One racing] teams, like new technical director Steve Nichols, who was poached from McLaren.—Jerry Garrett
Jerry GarrettExamples of headhunt in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Corporates and industries headhunt good engineers and not many see a career path in global health.
—Madhukar Pai, Forbes, 22 May 2022
Nonetheless, some with deep expertise in specific industries or corporate functions have thrived, says Nancy Garrison Jenn, who helps multinationals headhunt the right headhunters.
—The Economist, 6 Feb. 2020
There have been headhunting expeditions against Bret Stephens, Bari Weiss, and Sarah Jeong, among others, and the Times mostly has held firm.
—Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 27 Aug. 2019
Pay for the highest ranks could top $3 million this year, a few hundred thousand dollars more than a year ago, according to a survey by headhunting firm Options Group.
—Gunjan Banerji, WSJ, 28 Nov. 2018
Following early success at EMI Classics, Foster was headhunted by Richard Branson to be the founding managing director of Virgin Classics, before going on to lead BMG Classics UK.
—Regina Cho, Billboard, 26 Jan. 2018
Intelligence service offers ’exciting career change’ Facebook page has wider reach than website, Mossad says
Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency is turning to Facebook for headhunting help.
—Alisa Odenheimer, Bloomberg.com, 21 Dec. 2017
At the same meeting, a veteran teacher my school can’t bear to lose admitted he was being headhunted by a better-paying district close to his girlfriend’s house in Silicon Valley.
—Andrew Simmons, The Atlantic, 28 June 2017
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Madhukar Pai, Forbes, 22 May 2022
Nonetheless, some with deep expertise in specific industries or corporate functions have thrived, says Nancy Garrison Jenn, who helps multinationals headhunt the right headhunters.
—The Economist, 6 Feb. 2020
There have been headhunting expeditions against Bret Stephens, Bari Weiss, and Sarah Jeong, among others, and the Times mostly has held firm.
—Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 27 Aug. 2019
Pay for the highest ranks could top $3 million this year, a few hundred thousand dollars more than a year ago, according to a survey by headhunting firm Options Group.
—Gunjan Banerji, WSJ, 28 Nov. 2018
Following early success at EMI Classics, Foster was headhunted by Richard Branson to be the founding managing director of Virgin Classics, before going on to lead BMG Classics UK.
—Regina Cho, Billboard, 26 Jan. 2018
Intelligence service offers ’exciting career change’ Facebook page has wider reach than website, Mossad says
Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency is turning to Facebook for headhunting help.
—Alisa Odenheimer, Bloomberg.com, 21 Dec. 2017
At the same meeting, a veteran teacher my school can’t bear to lose admitted he was being headhunted by a better-paying district close to his girlfriend’s house in Silicon Valley.
—Andrew Simmons, The Atlantic, 28 June 2017
Cite this Entry
“Headhunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/headhunt. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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