Most people picture a headhunter as someone you send your CV to, who then finds you a job. That is not how it works, and misunderstanding it leads to wasted effort. Headhunters work for the company that pays them, not for you. Knowing how the model actually runs tells you how to get on their radar and how to deal with them when they call.
Who pays, and why it matters
An executive search firm is hired by an employer to fill a specific senior role, usually one that is too important or too confidential to post publicly. The company pays the fee, often a third of the first-year salary. That single fact explains most headhunter behavior. They are not browsing for great candidates in the abstract. They are looking for the person who fits one particular open role right now.
This is why sending your CV cold to a search firm rarely does much. You go into a database, and you might surface if you happen to match a future search, but you are not their client and they are not working on your behalf. The relationship is the reverse of what most job seekers assume.
Retained vs contingency
There are two broad models, and they behave differently. Retained search firms are paid up front to fill a role exclusively, typically the most senior positions. They work a small number of searches deeply and carefully. Contingency recruiters only get paid if their candidate is hired, so they work more roles, faster, and often compete with other recruiters on the same opening. A retained headhunter calling you usually means a serious, specific opportunity. A contingency recruiter may be casting a wider net.
Knowing which type you are talking to helps you calibrate. Ask early whether the search is retained or contingency, and whether they are working directly with the hiring company. A good recruiter will tell you.
How to actually get found
Since you cannot really apply to a headhunter, the goal is to be findable and credible when they search. Most executive search starts on LinkedIn and in industry networks. A complete, keyword-accurate LinkedIn profile that clearly states your level and specialism is the single most useful thing you can do. Headhunters search by exact role and skill, so the words need to be there.
Reputation in your field matters more at this level than at any other. Speaking, writing, being known by peers, all of it raises the odds that when a search happens in your niche, your name comes up. Referrals are huge too. Headhunters routinely ask people they trust "who is the best person you know for this?" Being the answer to that question is worth more than any application.
When one calls you
Take the call even if you are not looking. It costs you twenty minutes and builds a relationship that may matter later. Be straight about what you want and what would make you move. Headhunters value candidates who are clear and easy to work with, and they remember them for future roles.
Keep your CV and LinkedIn current even when you are happy where you are, because the best opportunities arrive when you are not searching. A tool like Postulit can keep your profile and CV aligned so that when a headhunter does find you, what they see is sharp and consistent rather than a profile you last touched three years ago.