Recruiter Fee Duration Forum

[Anonymous User]

So, like many of us here, I made the mistake of using a recruiter (big mistake). Recruiter didn’t add any benefits to the job search (would’ve been better off reaching out to the firms myself, IMO). They said they knew of unposted jobs, but I didn’t even hear about any from them.

Anyway, that was like 9 months ago. Am I now in the clear to apply by myself? I’m almost at 3 years and got more relevant work in the field these last 9 months.

Anyone know?

[kyle010723]

My understanding is that if a recruiter submitted your info to a firm, you must wait at least 6 months before reapplying to the same firm on your own. If they never submitted your resume to said firm, you’re in the clear to apply as you please.

[Anonymous User]

which city/recruiter is this?

I went through the same thing w/ Lateral Link..

[Anonymous User]

It’s actually multiple recruiters. I used Parker Lynch in 3 cities and all the recruiters had the same tactics. They constantly post about placing X associate in Y days! But I know someone who lateraled using a recruiter and she was HYS, at a V5, and graduated magna cum laude, so I’m assuming that had more to do with it than the recruiter/agency.

Edit: can’t type

[Anonymous User]

It’s actually multiple recruiters. I used Parker Lynch in 3 cities and all the recruiters had the same tactics. They constantly post about placing X associate in Y days! But I know someone who lateraled using a recruiter and she was HYS, at a V5, and graduated magna cum laude, so I’m assuming that had more to do with it than the recruiter/agency.

Edit: can’t type

Parker Lynch sure aggressively advertise all over LinkedIn, good to know they are just like every other recruiter.

Anyone actually had success working with a recruiter?

[Anonymous User]

I've been working with one. Here's a couple of tips/suggestions. I haven't found what I want yet, but I think that there are definitely some things I wish I'd known.

Do not apply on your own randomly. Try to establish a connection with someone at the firm and have them forward your resume along. You need an in at the firm. Your resume will likely not be read if you could apply and the recruiter will shirk away from submitting you later because he/she will receive no fee.

Do not allow your recruiter to submit you to every place that you would want to work. Make sure that your recruiter is first talking to the partners at the firm generally about your resume and qualifications and seeing if there is any interest. Only after this step, should you allow the recruiter to show your resume to the firm. If you don't receive at least a phone call with the partners at the firm or feedback on why there was no interest in your resume, then you are using a bad recruiter.

I royally messed up and did the exact opposite of the above during my search. If anyone has any more tips, please post them.

[Anonymous User]

I have had good and bad experiences... with the same recruiter.

First time sent me all sorts of unpublished listings, actually used their connections with firms to help get me interviews, etc., really pushed my candidacy aggressively but wasn't overbearing. They were willing to try to push my candidacy on firms up the ladder or for positions where I wasn't necessarily a super qualified candidate. I'd get timely, genuine resposnes to my questions or emails. They'd give me genuine insight about the firms I was interviewing at and what I should say at those places to make myself the best candidate. That was the ideal experience, IMO.

Second time around (a few years later, second lateral), they only seemed interested in pushing me to second or third tier firms even though I'd said I wasn't interested. When I did advance a couple of rounds at some firms, they were slow to get back to those firms about my status and my requirements, and I actually think caused one would-be offer to go to someone else because of how slow they were. They'd promise to ask their partner connections about the possibility of me joining their firms, but I'd never hear back. Lastly, I'd get afterthought responses to my emails 3-4 days after I sent them.

I can't tell if it was because they were super busy the second time around, or I was just a less desirable candidate on a second lateral so they didn't care as much, but the difference was night and day. Ended up firing them the second time around and ending the lateral search for various reasons, but I won't be going back for a third time.

[Anonymous User]

I've been working with one. Here's a couple of tips/suggestions. I haven't found what I want yet, but I think that there are definitely some things I wish I'd known.

Do not apply on your own randomly. Try to establish a connection with someone at the firm and have them forward your resume along. You need an in at the firm. Your resume will likely not be read if you could apply and the recruiter will shirk away from submitting you later because he/she will receive no fee.

Do not allow your recruiter to submit you to every place that you would want to work. Make sure that your recruiter is first talking to the partners at the firm generally about your resume and qualifications and seeing if there is any interest. Only after this step, should you allow the recruiter to show your resume to the firm. If you don't receive at least a phone call with the partners at the firm or feedback on why there was no interest in your resume, then you are using a bad recruiter.

I royally messed up and did the exact opposite of the above during my search. If anyone has any more tips, please post them.

Can you elaborate more on point 1?

And for point 2, how do you go about asking your recruiter to do this?

[Anonymous User]

I've been working with one. Here's a couple of tips/suggestions. I haven't found what I want yet, but I think that there are definitely some things I wish I'd known.

Do not apply on your own randomly. Try to establish a connection with someone at the firm and have them forward your resume along. You need an in at the firm. Your resume will likely not be read if you could apply and the recruiter will shirk away from submitting you later because he/she will receive no fee.

Do not allow your recruiter to submit you to every place that you would want to work. Make sure that your recruiter is first talking to the partners at the firm generally about your resume and qualifications and seeing if there is any interest. Only after this step, should you allow the recruiter to show your resume to the firm. If you don't receive at least a phone call with the partners at the firm or feedback on why there was no interest in your resume, then you are using a bad recruiter.

I royally messed up and did the exact opposite of the above during my search. If anyone has any more tips, please post them.

Can you elaborate more on point 1?
And for point 2, how do you go about asking your recruiter to do this?

Point 1: This could just be anecdotal, but I had very little luck just applying directly to firms. They get soooo many resumes and I think that a lot of firms rely upon recruiters/associates to be there first wave of screening resumes. I have some good credentials/experience and did not get interviews from firms that I probably would have had I not applied myself. I did, however, have traction with really selective boutiques, which I believe receive less applications and don't necessarily rely upon recruiters/associates to screen resumes. If you have someone at the firm forward your resume, you are likely to have your resume read.


Point 2: I found a good recruiter and he/she did all of this on his own. That's how I know it's the right way to do things. I'd just be blunt. Tell the recruiter that you only want your resume submitted after the recruiter has talked to a partner at the firm and there is interest in your resume. If the recruiter balks at this, go with someone else. If the recruiter submits you and you don't hear anything, and the recruiter won't give you feedback as to why the firm isn't interested, then you know that the recruiter has not actually spoken with anyone over there. The recruiter is simply just submitting you so that he/she gets a fee if you get a job there in the next six to twelve months. At least at this point, the recruiter has only submitted you to one place and you can move on with someone else.

All of this is just information I've learned/assumed through my personal experience. I'd take my advice with a slight grain of salt, but I hope that I can save someone else from getting burned as bad as I did.

[Anonymous User]

I've been working with one. Here's a couple of tips/suggestions. I haven't found what I want yet, but I think that there are definitely some things I wish I'd known.

Do not apply on your own randomly. Try to establish a connection with someone at the firm and have them forward your resume along. You need an in at the firm. Your resume will likely not be read if you could apply and the recruiter will shirk away from submitting you later because he/she will receive no fee.

Do not allow your recruiter to submit you to every place that you would want to work. Make sure that your recruiter is first talking to the partners at the firm generally about your resume and qualifications and seeing if there is any interest. Only after this step, should you allow the recruiter to show your resume to the firm. If you don't receive at least a phone call with the partners at the firm or feedback on why there was no interest in your resume, then you are using a bad recruiter.

I royally messed up and did the exact opposite of the above during my search. If anyone has any more tips, please post them.

Can you elaborate more on point 1?
And for point 2, how do you go about asking your recruiter to do this?

Point 1: This could just be anecdotal, but I had very little luck just applying directly to firms. They get soooo many resumes and I think that a lot of firms rely upon recruiters/associates to be there first wave of screening resumes. I have some good credentials/experience and did not get interviews from firms that I probably would have had I not applied myself. I did, however, have traction with really selective boutiques, which I believe receive less applications and don't necessarily rely upon recruiters/associates to screen resumes. If you have someone at the firm forward your resume, you are likely to have your resume read.


Point 2: I found a good recruiter and he/she did all of this on his own. That's how I know it's the right way to do things. I'd just be blunt. Tell the recruiter that you only want your resume submitted after the recruiter has talked to a partner at the firm and there is interest in your resume. If the recruiter balks at this, go with someone else. If the recruiter submits you and you don't hear anything, and the recruiter won't give you feedback as to why the firm isn't interested, then you know that the recruiter has not actually spoken with anyone over there. The recruiter is simply just submitting you so that he/she gets a fee if you get a job there in the next six to twelve months. At least at this point, the recruiter has only submitted you to one place and you can move on with someone else.

All of this is just information I've learned/assumed through my personal experience. I'd take my advice with a slight grain of salt, but I hope that I can save someone else from getting burned as bad as I did.

Thanks for elaborating/clarifying. I thought you originally meant to build rapport with someone at the firm THEN use a recruiter, which confused me.

[Anonymous User]

So, like many of us here, I made the mistake of using a recruiter (big mistake). Recruiter didn’t add any benefits to the job search (would’ve been better off reaching out to the firms myself, IMO). They said they knew of unposted jobs, but I didn’t even hear about any from them.

Anyway, that was like 9 months ago. Am I now in the clear to apply by myself? I’m almost at 3 years and got more relevant work in the field these last 9 months.

Anyone know?

I don't really understand the question. You don't have to pay the recruiter anything, the firm would. But I probably wouldn't be applying to firms that rejected me 9 months ago anyway...at least not until I've exhausted other options. Are you saying you want to apply to some of the places that your recruiter already submitted you to?