Some of you might have some great answers, too. It's an interesting question!

http://www.quora.com/How-does-one-go-about-becoming-a-headhunter/an...

No prior experience in Human Resources is required. Probably it is a negative, even, to some people. HR People and Headhunters are different breeds, like cats and dogs (which sometimes get along very well).

It helps to have industry connections, but what really helps more is knowing how to make connections. It's the skill you have in contacting people, connecting with them, researching them, listening to them, etc. that is more important than the actual connections themselves, usually.

What Headhunters need is a passion for the industry of recruiting itself, and an educational background that matches the industry they recruit in. Sales skills, communications skills, critical thinking skills, research skills, determination, resilience, self-starting, etc. are all vital to becoming a really good recruiter.

Most people who try to become recruiters will fail. "Nine out of ten startup companies fail" is a pretty well-known statistic. With recruiters, it is more like 95% that fail to last more than a few years. Most people who try to become a Headhunter will not even be able to close a single deal in their first six months. Those that can (and succeed) have a shot at becoming a real recruiter.

I worked as a support recruiter for my first five years, closing three deals in my first month. I'm the only person I've ever personally met that could do that. It was still a long, hard road to becoming a self-sufficient recruiter. You really need to view recruiting as a calling, more than a profession.

People who are "mavericks" tend to make better recruiters. It is not a job for conformists, lazy people, or people who believe everything that they are told. It requires a singular independence that few people have, as well as plenty of intelligence and creativity.

It is one of the best jobs anyone can possibly have, but there are plenty of ups and downs and problems to solve. If you are a problem-solving type, who is determined to succeed, and you like helping companies find great people and like helping great people find great jobs, this could be for you. I hope this helps.

I've always wondered how to make a good recruiter, too. My firm has hired about 300 people over the years, trying to train them to be recruiters. Maybe a dozen out of those few hundred really succeeded.