I've been contacted by a recruiting firm about a job at a company I'm very interested in - both the job and the company.

Anonymous

September 23,2021 at 8:38PM UTC

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I've been contacted by a recruiting firm about a job at a company I'm very interested in - both the job and the company. Someone who currently works at the company is a former co-workers and I'd love to reach out them to learn more about the company and the culture since there is very little information available online. However, I don't know if the search has been made "public" in their company and I don't want to cross any lines. Is it ok for me to reach out in this case or would it be inappropriate?

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Sue Gordon- retired Career CoachSeptember 23,2021 at 8:49PM UTC
I see no reason you can't reach out, in fact I'd encourage you to do so. Usually the confidentiality concerns pertain to the job seeker. If the recruiter says its hush-hush at the organization then respect it, otherwise it shouldn't be secret that they are trying to fill a position.
Sue Gordon- retired Career CoachSeptember 23,2021 at 8:50PM UTC
You could also just connect with your colleague to ask about the company and culture without divulging you're in talks, but that could get awkward later, when she finds out -- assuming it progresses.
AnonymousSeptember 23,2021 at 9:21PM UTC
I definitely would.
Jackie GhedineSeptember 24,2021 at 11:15AM UTC
Absolutely! As a career coach, the first thing I do is to encourage people to find a variety of people at organizations and talk with them about their job and the culture, it's the only way to get a real understanding of what's going on behind the curtain. Good luck!