Question for recruiters or those with experience with them: I recently went through the interview process via a recruiter.

24 Comments

1. Carissa SchneiderFebruary 9,2023 at 1:30PM UTC

   I’d be upfront and ask her. As long as you didn’t sign anything saying she is the only HH able to represent you I wouldn’t worry too much about it.

2. Bonnie CoventryFebruary 9,2023 at 1:37PM UTC

   In my experience, when an outside recruiter has brought a possible candidate to a company that they do business is who the agreement is with. With that company that you interviewed with. So, if there's any position open in that SAME company and they offer you a position and you accept THAT recruiter will still get credit and be paid for the candidate that lead to a hire for them. It has nothing to do with you not signing, the agreement is between the recruiter and that company. There's an agreed amount of time between recruiter and said company for said candidate. Pros and Cons for sure, but really not for you to take into consideration. Hope this clarifies.

3. AnonymousFebruary 9,2023 at 4:22PM UTC

   I'd take that as a compliment - they got positive feedback on your candidacy and would be happy to reach out to you regarding other appropriate opportunities. There are plenty of candidates who make the initial round(s), but it's clear through the process that they would not be a good fit for the organization in general and none of the hiring managers would likely want to deal with them .

4. AnonymousFebruary 10,2023 at 4:20AM UTC

   I don't think I'd interpret it as a documented obligation. I'm of the mind that she's bound and determined during her tenure to place you. She may think you are a stellar candidate and would fit nicely there.

   I wouldn't over think it. If it's truly upsetting you ask her outright so you can clarify.

5. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistFebruary 10,2023 at 5:27AM UTC

   Was she an internal recruiter?

6. AnonymousFebruary 10,2023 at 7:13PM UTC

   External

7. AnonymousFebruary 10,2023 at 1:38PM UTC

   That sounds like an agency recruiter response. They get 25% of your base salary. I would do your best not to work with an agency recruiter to avoid that additional cost a potential employer may have to pay. If a company has several candidates who are equally qualified, they will not pick the candidate who is going to cost them more to hire. Companies sometimes use 3rd party vendors to get a diverse slate or just to see what they might bring to the table. The market is flooded with quality candidates who are employed and unemployed. I would own your job search and apply to positions that is with a direct employer and work your network to see if their company is hiring. Employee Referrals usually make up 40 -50% of hires, 10-20% internal transfers and the rest is a mix bag of advertisement(20%-25%), rehiring Alumni/boomerang. I am currently a corporate recruiter and it has been over 20 years since I needed a 3rd party vendor to make a hire and I used to be an agency recruiter. I know both sides of the fence. Do not let this agency recruiter think she owns your candidacy and make it crystal clear that you want to know where they are sending your resume. Once your resume is submitted, they do own your candidacy if they have a fee agreement with the employer. Best of luck in your job search !

8. AnonymousFebruary 10,2023 at 7:14PM UTC

   That’s interesting because I’ve signed nothing committing me to her in any way. How can I undo what I never did in the first place?

9. AnonymousFebruary 10,2023 at 8:47PM UTC

   Are you speaking to her on a regular basis/maintaining a relationship with her ? Did she ever say, “I can present your background to many of my clients to see if they do have a need for someone with your background. “. That is her asking permission to send your resume out to anyone who they want to. That is referred to as the “spray and pray” method to make a placement. Ask her for a list of companies where she sent your resume and let her know not to send out your resume to any employer without your permission. Put this over email and make sure she responds over email. She does own your candidacy for one year with any employer who she submitted your background to even if you were not chosen to move forward or even selected to interview with the company/her client so that list is important to get.

   That is a very odd statement she made unless she is new to the agency recruiting business and doesn’t know any better.

10. AnonymousFebruary 11,2023 at 1:29PM UTC

    No body "owns" you. You are obligated to do nothing with anyone. She likely had reference to the fact that if that particular company hired you within one year from the date she submitted you, she would "own" the fee associated with the placement. She is either a new agency recruiter or she is trying to inappropriately coerce or influence you into working with her exclusively rather than possibly with other recruiters.

    Companies that engage external recruiters typically understand the value of a "good" recruiter amd rather than spin their wheels trying to recruit themselves (frequently unsuccessfully), they give that to an expert with a deep pipeline of high impact relevant candidates that can fill the position quickly. While there are definitely employer paid fees, in many cases, the cost of having an important position vacant over time typically far outweighs that cost and is money very wisely spent.

    At the end of the day, Internal Corporate Recruiters / Talent Acquisition staff, etc., while they think they are highly effective; in most cases simply are not (I.e. "even a blind squirrel finds a nut occasionally"). and most "get" that engaging a professional with a strong, highly credible reputation is far more cost effective.

    Bottom line: No one owns you. You are free to pursue whatever job you want and owe no one anything. Having said that, finding a (good) recruiter - typically via word of mouth from other happy candidates, is a worthwhile thing to do as in many cases, they can assist you in your search, coach you through the process, obtain access through doors that you may struggle to open on your own and accelerate the path to success far

    more quickly than on your own. Good luck.

11. Peggie Arvidson * Career Consultant | Adoptee Advocate | RecruiterFebruary 11,2023 at 1:43PM UTC

    some agency recruiters get 30% or more and some get 10% and some get a flat fee for a retainer search - so yes, agency recruiters do want to make placements at their clients - most agreements have a 90 day guarantee - so they don't get paid fi the person doesn't stay/work out within 90 days - so either they have to pay back the commission or most likely the agency itself doesn't pay out until after 90 days - also depends on the payment agreement with the client.

12. Beth DangFebruary 13,2023 at 11:34PM UTC

    In response to the advice "avoid working with agencies"...Please keep in mind that companies use agencies in many different capacities, otherwise, there wouldn't be a market for them (Agency Recruiting for 11 years and Corporate Recruiting for the last 6 years): 1. sometimes that company is small or more of a start up and doesn't have a recruiting function yet 2. sometimes their existing internal recruiting function is overloaded or understaffed, so they have decided to invest in utilizing an agency to supplement their efforts. 3. Many companies have decided to lay off the majority of their corporate recruiting function, so they are using agencies for a some of their hiring 4. there are niche skill sets that their internal recruiting function has been unable to fulfill, so they call in reinforcements 4. larger organizations sometimes have a portion of their annal budget allocated for agency support 5. agencies can sometimes get you more visibility than simply applying to a role. All of this being said: it's important to understand the relationship the agency recruiter has with the company and they should be able to share that with you.

13. Krystin MorganFebruary 11,2023 at 5:25AM UTC

    She probably meant that because she submitted you to this company, if you are interested in other roles at *this company* over the next year, she'd be your representative. That's not anything you agreed to or can change; it's typically part of the agreement between the company and the staffing agency. It doesn't obligate you to work with this recruiter for anything else -- although if you found her helpful to work with this is certainly an opening to reach back out!

14. Peggie Arvidson * Career Consultant | Adoptee Advocate | RecruiterFebruary 11,2023 at 1:41PM UTC

    The best way to know what she meant is to say to her, "The last time we spoke you said, ' we still get to work together for a year,' and I have no idea what you mean!"

    I'm a recruiter (have worked agency, corporate and contract recruiting) and I don't know why she would have said that.

15. Crystal HowellFebruary 11,2023 at 2:30PM UTC

    I think you should ask her, instead of guessing.

16. Georganne ShirkFebruary 11,2023 at 2:54PM UTC

    My guess is that the company signed an agreement with the recruiter that associates you with that recruiter for the next year. I recently reengaged with a candidate from 6 months ago for a new role. The recruiter has a one year lock on this candidate for fees (probably not uncommon), plus hefty fines if we contact her directly. The candidate had no idea. This probably isn't bad if you have a good recruiter working on your behalf.

    In my case, the recruiter is hurting the candidate. HR no longer uses this recruiter because of misrepresenting the job, comp, and status of an offer. Unfortunately I reset the clock by this latest contact - and weirdly the recruiter told her that she now has an offer. Luckily she assumed we wouldn't give an offer before an interview for the new, different role. This isn't the candidates fault but it doesn't help her candidacy. If I were her, I would have no idea this could happen.

17. Valentina Huang, MBA, SHRM-CPFebruary 11,2023 at 3:00PM UTC

    Instead of guessing what you think the recruiter is referring to, ask. Get clarification so you know the field you are playing in.

18. AnonymousFebruary 11,2023 at 6:37PM UTC

    Many of these comments are excellent explanations of how, in general, recruiting frees work. But, it is always amazing that people presnet question on this forum asking what other people meant in what they have said. Ask those people!! Just ask someone what they meant or to clarify if you don't know what they meant!!

19. AnonymousFebruary 12,2023 at 1:38PM UTC

    Some people want to do their HW before having a conversation, especially if the other person is a commission-only based sales person. It's important to fact-find so you can push back when necessary. I am grateful for the explanations given here. If you can't understand that.....

20. AnonymousFebruary 11,2023 at 3:15PM UTC

    Ask her?

21. AnonymousFebruary 11,2023 at 3:51PM UTC

    My experience with this is that for any jobs that the recruiter presents to you and you are interested, and she then presents you to the client, she is entitled to the fee if you get the job. So even if you submit your resume directly to the client, she will be entitled to the fee should you get the job. I have always signed an agreement with the employer/client, not with the candidates.

    As a candidate, a couple different recruiters have presented the same job to me. Whoever gets to you first and then to the client seems (logically) entitled to the fee.

    I would definitely clarify with the recruiter exactly what this means. I’ve never had a recruiter say “we are working together for one year” so she seems like she will pursue any conflicts. If any conflicts surface as the client/employer I would pass on that candidate no matter how great they are. ASK - GET IN WRITING!

22. Erika KlicsFebruary 11,2023 at 4:05PM UTC

    It's for that specific client. They have a representation clause in their fee agreement with the client, so any position you might land there during the representation period would earn them a fee.

    They may want to build a relationship with you so they can represent you to all their clients/use you to break into companies that you want to pursue, but you have no obligation to be represented by them elsewhere unless you give them permission. (And it could hinder your chances of they're pitching you to companies that don't work with recruiters.)

23. AnonymousFebruary 11,2023 at 5:38PM UTC

    She is what is called a contingency recruiter. She works for free unless she makes a placement with that company. Her agreement or her companies agreement is usually that if she presents or represents you to that company that there is an exclusive right for her to get paid if they hire you within a year. What does that mean? If you spotted another job in that same company and approached them independently of her she gets a fee. It is often steep it can be anywhere from 10-30% of the annual base salary you would get and often even encompasses the bonus you would get. That could mean for example if your salary and bonus were 100K up to 30k for her and her agency. So that could be a limiter to your chances with them if she does not have an exclusive relationship with that company. When you engage with 3rd party recruiters you should always ask about their relationship with the company they are pitching you. If they are retained it is the best, container is second, and contingency the least favorable to the candidate. That makes you bait on the hook and you are only worth something to them if you are the selected candidate and if they have an exclusive with the company. If you do not want her to represent or present you to any other prospective companies you should send her and her agency a cease and desist letter and confirm with her that you do not want her to share your information with any other companies. In this very very competitive talent market companies don't currently have the money to pay those stiff external fees which may limit you because of the 1 year don't touch rule. Good luck in your search.

24. AnonymousFebruary 11,2023 at 6:05PM UTC

    Great post! Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge.