Jonathan Kirchner’s Headhunters Academy Review | $20k – $50k Per Match?

Headhunters Academy is an educational platform for beginner executive search recruiters and aspiring agency owners created by Jonathan Kirchner. It offers a free masterclass, an eBook, and a two-phase course with a focus on direct hire placements. The platform offers one-on-one support, an online community, documents for agreements and contracts, and minimal device requirements.

Headhunting is a method of onboarding executive and senior level positions for numerous organizations. A headhunter is also called an executive search recruiter. Firms outsource lucrative and leadership positions because they aim to get the best candidates for the high-stakes roles. According to IBISWorld, this market will continue to grow from 2023 to 2028. However, it’s worth noting that although Headhunters Academy has been founded in 2019, there are zero third-party reviews. Also, in a 2022 YouTube video, Jonathan Kirchner revealed that the platform had about a yearlong hiatus.

This article explores Headhunters Academy in-depth, discussing its free masterclass, eBook, and paid course. It also covers who it’s best fit for, student results, pricing, the RecuiterPRO community, as well as the state of the headhunting industry in general. The founder’s background, education, and his claims are explored as well.

Does Headhunter Academy Enable $20k – $50k Per Match?

Yes, Headhunters Academy enables $20k-$50k per match. This is according to client 6 testimonials from Julian Robinson, Gus Delfin, Matt Roberts, Andres B., Cory C., and Pat R. Details regarding their earnings are disclosed below.

• Julian Robinson earned $24,750 from his first deal. He was formerly a realtor.

• Gus Delfin profited $46,000 from his first recruitment. He stated that the barrier to entry was lower than expected.

• Matt Roberts had a $20,000 deal. Before enrolling in Headhunters Academy, he was only earning $3,000 monthly.

• Andres B. earned $67,000 in one deal. In his first 10 months, he made $300,000 in fees. He was an IT engineer.

• Cory C. profited $37,646 on a single deal. He studied law and recruited lawyers.

• Pat R. landed three $20,000 deals. He was a complete beginner prior to enrolling in the academy.

What Will You Get From Headhunters Academy?

You will get from Headhunters Academy a free masterclass, eBook, and a paid course. The free-of-charge masterclass has lessons on profits and matchmaking deals. As for the eBook, it has 6 chapters that covers recruiting digitally. Meanwhile, the Headhunters Academy course has 2 phases. Phase I is about solo recruiting deals, with the goal of fast results and high profit. Meanwhile, Phase II covers hiring a team and building a recruiting agency.

4 Necessary Traits of a Headhunter

Four necessary traits of a headhunter according to Headhunters Academy are confidence and knowledge. Additionally, headhunters must be able to match candidates with the required qualifications. Jonathan also stated that you need to utilize low-cost, passive, and/or new methods for matchmaking.

Accordingly, you don’t need to be an expert or to have prior experience to be a headhunter. However, confidence is crucial n closing deals. His students only copy-paste his messages and he provides additional training. If an aspiring headhunter isn’t sure if the candidates match the description, they can always refer to the 3 to 4 traits that they’ve acquired from their clients.

3 Methods for Matchmaking

Three methods for matchmaking based on Headhunters Academy are low-cost methods through free platforms, passive techniques by using paid ads, and a new strategy utilizing Dux-Soup.

For the affordable approach, he recommends copy-pasting the job description and then posting it on free job boards, such as Indeed. He added that headhunters should search on LinkedIn using keywords of the 3 to 4 qualifications. Once they get matches, they should include the link to the job post. From these two sources, the next step is to begin scheduling interviews.

The second method includes paid ads, which cost under $150/month. Accordingly, this technique enables him to close $30,000 to $50,000 deals passively. He also stated that high-level positions are easy to fill since they are more competitive and have fewer openings. They also have bigger fees and more applicants.

Regarding the third strategy, it uses Chrome extension named Dux-Soup for LinkedIn Automation. Its capabilities include LinkedIn search, with the addition of turning on the tool’s Pro Recorder. It also records the details in the results pages and sends hundreds of offering messages in one minute. Jonathan stated that before he used this technique, he would do the traditional process. Back then, it took him 4 hours just to come up with 50 contacts.

1. Searching for vacancies on online platforms
2. Looking up the company and the people in charge
3. Testing for their correct email addresses one by one
4. Saving and keeping the right emails on a dedicated spreadsheet

How Can The Headhunters Academy Help You Start Your Own Freelance Recruiting Business?

Headhunters Academy helps you start your own freelance recruiting business through its course materials and student support. The beginner-friendly training materials are comprehensive, regularly updated, contains profitable industries, as well as includes documents regarding agreements and contracts. Students of the program also get personal support from the founder, Jonathan Kirchner.

Who Is Headhunters Academy For?

Headhunters Academy is for beginner executive search recruiters and those looking to start an agency. Phase I of the course is dedicated for individuals who need help closing their first deal. Meanwhile, Phase I of the program is for former freelance headhunters scaling their business to an agency. Note that, the training is only for people who are willing to hop on calls in order to complete deals.

Are the Students of Headhunters Academy Getting Results?

Yes, the students of Headhunters Academy are getting results according to the 19 client testimonials posted on the official website’s Case Studies page. Five students shared that the program gave them fast results, three students stated that it helped them land their first deals, one was able to achieve a 10-15 hour workweek, seven earned big profits from the training, and three recommended the program for its top quality.

• Quick results: According to five client testimonials, Headhunters Academy provided them with quick results, ranging from 5 days to 10 months.
• First deals: Three student testimonials indicated they landed their first deals, from $13,500 to $24,750.
• 10-15 hour workweek: One student said that after 10 months, they had a 10 to 15 hour workweek, with them getting them $100,000 in recruiting fees.
• Massive profits: Seven Headhunters Academy students shared that the program provided them with big profits, ranging from $3,600 to $48,000. 
• Top-quality course: There were three students who praised the training itself, stating that the chat support, tools, materials, and opportunity were incredibly helpful.

Is Headhunters Academy Profitable?

Yes, Headhunters Academy is profitable according to student testimonials posted in the Case Studies page of the official site. However, the profitability of the business model itself is unpredictable. According to data from Statista, Zippia, and TechNavio, recruiting is highly reliant on factors that include the labor market and the economy. It is also difficult to scale, needs in-depth knowledge for technical vacancies, more lucrative for doctorate degree holders, and has stiff competition among other headhunters and other recruitment methods.

Is Headhunters Academy Worth It?

No, Headhunters Academy is not worth it if you’re a complete beginner, don’t have at least a bachelor’s degree, and aren’t tech savvy. This is based on research from TechNavio, Zippia, and Statista.

For those who don’t have an established credibility, it is difficult to close deals because of market saturation. There's stiff competition from seasoned executive search recruiters and other more preferred recruitment methods, including free jobs boards and referrals.

Additionally, the highest earning headhunters have a doctorate degree. This is followed by those with a masters and then by bachelors degree holders.

Profitable openings, particularly developers and DevOps, are some of the most challenging industries to conduct interviews in. They require specialized knowledge.

Who is Jonathan Kirchner?

Jonathan Kirchner Claims: Free Training Will Upsurge Clients & Industry Expertise Isn’t Necessary

Jonathan Kirchner claims that his free training will result in clients begging for his students’ help and that its profitability does not require any expertise or knowledge. 

Jonathan Kirchner Claims Debunked: 5 Ongoing Challenges of The Recruitment Space

Jonathan’s claims about his no-cost masterclass are hard to prove because it only covers the basics of headhunting. Additionally, there are many current challenges that the recruitment space is experiencing that hinders its profitability.

#1 Relies heavily on economy & labor market

Executive search services are impacted by fiscal and monetary policies. Labor market development and shifts in interest rates also affect the demand for it. This is according to data from Statista.

During the pandemic, this industry was highly influenced. The employment rate has also been decreasing for the pat 5 years.

The revenue in the industry has reduced to CAGR of 0.7% since 2018. In 2023, the expected decline is 1.6%.

Aside from revenue, profits are also projected to decrease to 9.8% in 2023. This was formerly 10.5% in 2018.

#2 Competes with other headhunters & recruitment methods

Headhunting actively competes with referrals and job boards. Statista shared that in 2023, US companies are prefer these two.

With free-of-charge job boards, 71% of businesses state this is their preferred recruitment method. As for current employee referrals, it is the most selected method by companies.

#3 Enables highest earnings for doctorate holders

The highest paid executive search recruiters are doctorate degree holders. This is according to Zippia, which highlights that headhunters with doctorate degrees have a $61,365 annual income.

This is followed by masters degree holders who earn $55,250 per year. As for bachelor’s degree holders, they account for 86% of headhunters and have a yearly income of $47,527. 

#4 Requires specialization for technical positions

The most profitable industries for headhunters need specialized knowledge. Statista shared that recruiters struggled the most with technical positions, such as DevOps and developers.

About 19% of professionals in the human resource space stated DevOps is one of the most challenging jobs to recruit in 2023. As for developers, 12.36% of recruiters said that they find it difficult to conduct technical interviews with them.

#5 Has challenges in terms of growth & scaling

Scalability is one of the biggest issues with recruitment, according to TechNavio. This is especially true for online executive search recruiters. Factors that make growth difficult for recruitment are website performance, infrastructure changes, capacity constraints.

What Is RecruiterPRO?

RecruiterPRO is a public group by Headhunters Academy, with over 117 members and 4 admins. It is a  online platform for beginner and experienced executive search recruiters to network and help each other. It can be found at skool.com/recruiterpro.

What is Jonathan Kirchner's Job Future?

Jonathan Kirchner’s Job Future is a recruiting agency centered on direct hire placements founded in 2018. It is also the recipient of the Two Comma Club Award, given by Clickfunnels. It specializes in executive search openings, with focus on the sales, software, management, and technology industries. Their clients range from pree-seed funding to Fortune 500 businesses.

Is a Headhunter The Same As a Recruiter?

No, a headhunter is not the same as a recruiter. Headhunters fill executive and high-level positions, while recruiters hire for a variety of vacancies and urgently needed openings. This is according to a 2022 Indeed article.

Moreover, headhunters work with contracts and on a contingency. Some only get paid after candidates are hired. Others receive some payment before filling positions.

Recruiters, on the other hand, receive monthly salaries. At times, they also get bonuses for newly onboarded employees.

Headhunters also work with multiples clients and are typically third party. Meanwhile, recruiters work internally within their company.

Additionally, headhunters specialize in certain niches. On the other hand, recruiters mostly fills jobs for several industries.

How Does Local Lead Generation Compare To Headhunting?

Local lead generation compared to headhunting is burnout-proof, more affordable, and has fewer competition. Lead generation is a lot less stressful compared to headhunting because it's a passive source of income. Most of the effort is on setting up and ranking websites. Additionally, the startups costs is only $300 to $500. And since it targets certain cities and locations, the competition is drastically lowered.

With a local lead gen training, each website created generates up to $3,000 per month. The profit margin for this business model is also 95%. Moreover, it is completely remote, requires little social energy, and easy to scale.