Executive Recruiter An executive search consulting company can be a low-maintenance, and lucrative, start-up.

Part of an executive search consultant's job is to findprospects who are happy employees simply looking to further theircareers. But maybe if those on the happy list knew more about thejobs of these "headhunters," they would consider dumpingtheir gigs for theirs.

That is, if this type of career sounds good: working out of yourhome, setting your own hours, being your own boss with practicallyno overhead or start-up costs, helping others become moresuccessful, and enjoying a cozy starting salary of more than$100,000 a year. Appealing? Nah.

Executive search consulting has become one of the mostsolid-and lucrative-start-up businesses you could own,whether you've got a background in HR, have worked forplacement agencies, or have no experience at all and thoughtheadhunting was only for bail bondsmen. Odds are, you'vealready got all the equipment it takes to get started: that is, aphone, a computer and e-mail. "No one even takes faxesanymore," says David Lee, a 30-year-old search consultant inNew York City. "You don't even need paper."