The Accidental Headhunter

Born in 1940, Ian Cordiner is a product of the stereotypically stolid 'Silent Generation'. In this autobiography he proves, through a 'warts and all' anecdotal recall of a rich variety of experiences, that he has been, and still is, an obvious exception to his generation's cast. With gusto, humour, and many keen insights, Ian relates his sometimes troublesome progress through an often isolated childhood and inconsistent educational experiences in South Africa. He then traces a quirky and multi-facetted career path which took him away from his homeland soon after his graduation as a civil engineer and deposited him initially in the heavy construction industry in the United Kingdom of the 'swinging '60s'. Then, unwilling to return to South Africa, he made the radical decision in 1967 to move to Australia as a "Ten Pound Migrant." Not content to merely change location, Ian 'took the bull by the horns' and risked a significant career direction change by moving into strategic level management consulting and then into tough general management roles in a range of industry sectors in different parts of his new country. In each of these roles, he has worked with, for, and sometimes against, the biggest movers and shakers in the Australian corporate world and has acquired a wonderful array of skills. In 1985, Ian took another major risk when he co-founded a headhunting company. 'Amrop Cordiner King' has since gone on to become a key player in this esoteric field. This move was certainly unplanned and was an accidental outcome of his unique lifetime experiences, so thoroughly explained in this book. These had more than equipped him for a successful corporate headhunting role that is based on a real interest in people and how their own careers have developed, as well as on trust, listening skills, a broad managerial background, and the ability to connect with the culture and strategic needs of clients. This is Ian's story.