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                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1

                                 ALSTON&BIRD LLP
                               One Atlantic Center
                           1201 West Peachtree Street
                           Atlanta, Georgia 30309-3424

                                  404-881-7000
                                Fax: 404-881-7777
                                 www.alston.com


                                 April 17, 2001


HeadHunter.NET, Inc.
330 Research Court, Suite 200
Norcross, Georgia 30092

         Re:      Form S-3 Registration Statement filed April 17, 2001 - Resale
                  of Stock on Behalf of a Selling Stockholder

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have acted as counsel to HeadHunter.NET, Inc., a Georgia corporation
(the "Company"), in connection with the above referenced Registration Statement
on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement") being filed by the Company with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended, and covering 101,100 shares (the "Shares") of the Company's
common stock, $.01 par value ("Common Stock"), which are being offered for the
account of the selling stockholder specified therein. The Company will not
receive any proceeds from the sale of the Shares. The opinion hereinafter set
forth is given to the Commission at the request of the Company pursuant to Item
16 of Form S-3 and Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K.

         We have examined the Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as
amended, the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, records of proceedings
of the Board of Directors, or committees thereof, deemed by us to be relevant to
this opinion letter, the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of
February 27, 2001, by and between the Company and Omnicom Finance, Inc. (the
"Credit Agreement"), the Registration Statement and other agreements or
documents we deemed necessary for the purpose of expressing the opinion set
forth herein. We also have made such further legal and factual examinations and
investigations as we deemed necessary for purposes of expressing the opinion set
forth herein. As to certain factual matters relevant to this opinion letter, we
have relied upon the representations and warranties made in the Credit Agreement
by the parties thereto, certificates and statements of officers of the Company
and certificates of public officials. We have also assumed that the Credit
Agreement is a valid and binding obligation of Omnicom Finance, Inc.,
enforceable against Omnicom Finance, Inc. in accordance with its terms. Except
to the extent expressly set forth herein, we have made no independent
investigation with regard thereto, and, accordingly, we do not express any
opinion as to matters that might have been disclosed by independent
verification. The opinions set forth herein are limited to the laws of the State
of Georgia.

         Based upon the foregoing it is our opinion that the Shares are legally
and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.


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         This opinion letter is provided to you for your benefit and for the
benefit of the Commission solely with regard to the Registration Statement, may
be relied upon by you and the Commission only in connection with the
Registration Statement, and may not be relied upon by any other person or for
any other purpose without our prior written consent.

         We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and further consent to the use of our name wherever
appearing in the Registration Statement.


                                          Sincerely,

                                          ALSTON & BIRD LLP


                                          By:      /s/ Nils H. Okeson
                                              ---------------------------------
                                              Nils H. Okeson
                                              a Partner


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