Working with a recruitment agency for the first time and appreciate your advice. I was contacted by a recruiter and met with him last week. He outlined the role and it sounds like a good fit.

7 Comments

1. AnonymousJanuary 30,2025 at 4:24PM UTC

   Last week? You haven't heard anything additional from him yet? Definitely reach out to him if you haven't already done so. He should be keeping you updated. And yes, he should be telling if you if you weren't selected.

2. KatJanuary 30,2025 at 4:30PM UTC

   Contact the recruiter if it's been more than a week since the initial meeting. If you hear back right away (same/next day) and they have an update for you, great. But if you don't hear anything at all, move on. Recruiters are salespeople at heart. They have quotas to meet. They talk a good game to get you roped in. But once you're on the books, that's it. I'm not the only one here that's been ghosted by recruiters. A good recruiter that's genuinely interested in you and can help you achieve your career goals is a rarity. If you know the company name, apply directly to the position if you don't hear back.

3. AnonymousJanuary 30,2025 at 5:00PM UTC

   Yes. Always followup as often as you want.

4. AnonymousJanuary 30,2025 at 5:39PM UTC

   First question is he contingent? or retained? Exclusive or not? If he is contingent you are bait on the hook and he is fishing with you. Has he or his agency ever placed someone in that company? Do they have a signed agreement with the company? If the response is no to those he is fishing with you. If he is retained then it is a better scenario since the company has signed up to pay him for finding just the right person. Remember you are a recruit and the buyer here. He is not. Keep the pressure on him by letting him know your search is active, don't share too many details but ask him to keep you in the loop on the process and how long and how may steps there are. Find out if he is on commission and if so he is basically a sales person and if you are not the right one there is no allegiance to you. Good luck. A good guide for types of recruiters and how they work and get paid is here:

   https://medium.com/aviahire/the-top-7-types-of-recruiters-in-the-industry-e81e99fdd20

5. AnonymousJanuary 31,2025 at 4:20AM UTC

   Pure honesty here. Most likely the recruiter is going to ghost you. They always do. There may not have even been a job, and he was just adding you to his candidate pool to shop around to companies.

6. AnonymousJanuary 31,2025 at 1:00PM UTC

   I was a recruiter for staffing firms. Does he work for one or is he some lone headhunter? Either way, just email him a week after he submitted you but don’t stop your search there. Keep applying elsewhere. If he ghosts you that’s not a recruiter thing, that’s a bad habit many are getting from companies in general. Keep us posted on what happens!

7. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistFebruary 1,2025 at 6:17AM UTC

   Follow up with him. Squeeky wheel gets the grease.