The tech industry is a high-flying, high-stakes realm, where one day, you’re coding the next big app and the next, you’re scrambling for your rent after a brutal layoff. It’s a reality that Hallford, founder of Headhuntable.io, knows all too well.
Complicating Hallford’s predicament was a truly life-or-death situation. On top of being jobless and homeless, a health crisis was looming. A pancreatic cancer survivor, Hallford needed medication (and medical insurance) to survive. To make matters worse, Hallford explains that he was not alone in this. “I meet people every day who only have enough savings for a couple of weeks. The reality is that it can take two to three months to find a job in tech,” Hallford explains.
Especially now, after a tumultuous 2023, job security in tech is more illusory than ever. The tech industry saw a 50% increase in job losses in 2023 from the previous year. The industry had more than 1,186 companies lay off workers in 2023, which is more than 2020 and 2021 combined. Many large tech companies have reduced their workforces in 2023.
Hallford’s brush with near financial (and physical) ruin after losing his job became the spark for his revolutionary solution: a company that offers tech workers not just hope but job security.
As Hallford discovered, job security is not a reflection of how well someone performs at their job. The economy, regime changes, and even personality conflicts can lead to firings. “Bad things happen that you have no control over,” Hallford highlights.
With this in mind, Hallford created the functionality behind Headhuntable as a resource for himself to both find jobs and keep his pipeline full of prospects. A serial entrepreneur with deep tech experience, Hallford realized that other tech workers need to be ready for whatever comes in the tech employment market too.
Having used Headhuntable for a decade, Hallford used this process to keep himself working in 2020, when COVID shut down businesses and projects.
Headhuntable.io is a natural extension of Hallford’s experience and passion. As a result, this isn’t a typical career coaching service. Unlike the competition, the service acts as a personal “Jerry Maguire” for the tech age. A team of highly trained job search representatives and expert FAANG-level mentors are dedicated to one mission: getting tech workers their next gig quickly and with minimal effort.
Hallford shares, “Because I created this to work while I was busy doing other things, the process is autonomous. Headhuntable is designed to work in the background so that people can spend the time improving their skills or even take on a side gig to bring in money until they land their perfect job.”
Headhuntable is designed to work two ways: to help job seekers land a tech position if they need a job and to keep tech workers’ pipeline full of opportunities if they have a job.
Every client has their own virtual assistant who does all of the legwork—finding the opportunities, applying, and setting up interviews. This can act as a security blanket if you have a job already. “You stay on employers’ radars and get real-time information about the skills you need to have to be competitive,” says Hallford.
Having been unemployed himself, Hallford realized that job seekers needed even more support. He knew firsthand that searching for a job can be demoralizing and isolating. Hallford realized that people needed mentors and coaches who could give them actionable advice on strengthening their skills and marketability.
The coaches also provide invaluable guidance on closing the deal for a job. Hallford says that he has found that the skills that might make someone great at a job might not make them the best at interviews.
Companies often have “gotcha” questions or specific tests for interviews. Headhuntable prepares interviewees to ace the process, whether it is interview questions or a coding challenge, as Hallford knows that when someone is prepared, they have a much higher chance of landing the job.
But Headhuntable isn’t just about landing a job; it’s about building a thriving, secure future. Hallford points to ongoing personalized training, professional development workshops, and even the soon-to-be-launched AI-powered assistance as ways they keep their clients who are currently employed ahead of the curve and ready for whatever the tech landscape presents.
Hallford calls this passive job security, explaining, “While you keep your skills up-to-date for the market, our VAs keep you in front of recruiters and HR departments. If the unthinkable happens, you are ahead of the pack in finding your next job.”
Hallford will never forget the harrowing days spent dodging the repo man, terrified he would not be able to get his medication. Like the survivor he is, he is committed to ensuring that other tech workers don’t find themselves in the same situation.
Because, as Hallford believes, job security shouldn’t be a luxury—it should be a reality.