THEIR formal title is executive search consultants but they are better known as headhunters or even skin traders. Though the work may not be for the meek, it also requires the qualities of a broker, a dealer and a diplomat.

Discretion plays a major part as jobs are not publicly advertised. Many clients use headhunters for reasons of confidentiality and rely on them to restrict public disclosure of information. Most appointments will be at middle management or board level.

In professions where there is a shortage of qualified staff, employers are wary of publicising their recruitment needs to prevent competing firms from targeting their customers while they have a temporary staff shortage.

Because of the secrecy, rumours abound about dubious practices. A redundant securities trader set himself up as a supposed headhunter and took a fee for finding himself a job with a client company.

An approach from a headhunter can be used by an employer to test the commitment of employees to their present job.

Codes of practice are laid down by the Association of Search and Selection Consultants and the Federation of Recruitment Employment Services but often the grapevine is equally effective in catching out rogue operators.

Customer satisfaction helped Coburn Blair, one of Scotland's leading search firms, to achieve 70% repeat business. Peter Preedy, a director in its Edinburgh office, says: ``We provide sensitivity and confidentiality, an unrivalled database of candidates and an efficient service covering all economic sectors.

``Clients are normally best served by promoting internally but they might not have the specific talent in-house. Sometimes, they require fresh blood in the organisation. We give them access to individuals not actively in the job market and in the long run save them time and money.''

The first stage is to prepare a briefing document, based on a profile of the ideal candidate including preferred background and experience, job specifications, and rewards, benefits and prospects.

Next individuals in organisations of a similar scope and size are targeted. Some will already be known to the search consultant from his own database. The real test is in identifying others who might be interested in moving given the right offer.

``People are generally flattered when approached,'' says Preedy. ``If they are not personally interested, they might suggest another person.

Coburn Blair's candidate database runs to hundreds of names for each sector. It receives around 25 unsolicited approaches daily, which are classified according to salary expectations, background and experience. Educational qualifications and references are verified at the short-list stage.

``There is a marked reluctance during a recession for people to move home and family,'' says Preedy. ``However, exciting and challenging opportunities attract serious consideration. It is our job to promote the benefits of the job and the company.''

Another incentive is the Scottish factor. ``Many Scots are looking to return home,'' he adds.

Reward packages tend to be more flexible because the bargaining relationship between client and candidate is more even than in normal recruitment. Search consultants advise on the terms required to attract high-quality candidates.

Work stretches beyond normal office hours because telephone taping and the need for secrecy prevent discussion at other times.

And the consultant has to live with the uncertainty of a preferred candidate changing his mind after weeks of delicate negotiations - he might even approach his existing employer for a rise, confident another job is on offer.