As a headhunter myself, I can tell you that there’s a huge difference in what I do and what an independent recruiter does. I focus a lot on ‘hunting’ down the perfect candidates for mostly high-level or very specialized roles. These are not positions that are just sitting open for anyone; these are roles that require a specific set of skills and experience that only a few possess. I usually approach passive candidates, meaning they’re not actively looking but could be persuaded for the right opportunity. Independent recruiters, from what I know, tend to work on a wider range of job levels and are more about managing relationships both on the client and candidate side. They often deal with candidates who are actively seeking new roles and handle more of the day-to-day recruitment tasks.