Lateral - better to apply direct or to get a reputable recruiter? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hey guys,

Wanted ur opinion on whether it is better to use a recruiter or to just apply directly to jobs. I'm currently at a regional biglaw firm and would like to move to the big leagues.

I know recruiters get a cut from the law firms but I heard the benefit is that it makes you look more legitimate and less desperate?

Thanks

[Anonymous User]

Use a recruiter if you have biglaw experience, apply directly if you don't.

[Anonymous User]

Limited sample size, but the biglaw HR people I've talked to uniformly say direct is better.

[nealric]

Hey guys,

Wanted ur opinion on whether it is better to use a recruiter or to just apply directly to jobs. I'm currently at a regional biglaw firm and would like to move to the big leagues.

I know recruiters get a cut from the law firms but I heard the benefit is that it makes you look more legitimate and less desperate?

Thanks

The best way to apply is through a connection- someone you know who works for the firm and is willing to pass your resume on with their recommendation. You may not think you have such a connection, but make sure first. You never know who your friends know. Second best is through a good recruiter (But there are many bad ones out there). Direct submit without a recruiter or insider is unlikely to be successful. Note that some firms may have specific recruiters they work with.

[h2go]

Hey guys,

Wanted ur opinion on whether it is better to use a recruiter or to just apply directly to jobs. I'm currently at a regional biglaw firm and would like to move to the big leagues.

I know recruiters get a cut from the law firms but I heard the benefit is that it makes you look more legitimate and less desperate?

Thanks

The best way to apply is through a connection- someone you know who works for the firm and is willing to pass your resume on with their recommendation. You may not think you have such a connection, but make sure first. You never know who your friends know. Second best is through a good recruiter (But there are many bad ones out there). Direct submit without a recruiter or insider is unlikely to be successful. Note that some firms may have specific recruiters they work with.

Anecdotal but I directly applied to ~20 biglaw offices and got screeners at about half. My credentials aren't spectacular, but the practice area is niche-ish. Be aware that if you directly apply, recruiters can't subsequently target the same firms for ~6 months.

[Anonymous User]

I really think if you know what you want to do, and are willing to take the time to research where to apply on your own, a recruiter is just not necessary. Anecdotal, but I really regretted using a recruiter/listening to a recruiter despite my better judgment.

My story-I had been applying to firms directly over about a month when a recruiter called about a position at a firm that I had decided to not submit my materials to because there were very few people in my practice group (based on my own research). He convinced me to apply and interview, but I still had concerns about the size of the practice group and if there would be enough for work me. He then pressured me into accepting because there were other people he had lined up to interview. Yeah, I should have used better judgment and not accepted, i know. But the pressure was effective because I really needed to move to a different market for family reasons and I hadn't heard back from other firms yet. I quit after less than 6 months.

I should add that I heard back from 4 of the 20ish firms I applied to just by doing direct applications on my own, within 5-8 weeks of applying. But at that point I had already accepted at this other firm. Still feel frustrated about this.

[Anonymous User]

the thing about recruiters is that it's really hard to find a good one. my experience has been that they will work hard to get you one or two interviews and then stop working additional leads and pressure you to take the ones you've been given because they don't want to flood their contacts with a bunch of different candidates. so they may get you an interview but it may not be at a firm or the group you want.

case in point, i worked with a recruiter for a few months on potentially moving to a different city and he had a potential opportunity at a firm that i told him i might consider as a backup option if the firms i wanted to target didn't work out. he got me an interview at the firm and i'm pretty sure he didn't contact any of the firms i actually wanted to target. most of them had postings on their website that i could have just applied through directly and i kind of wish i had just done that.

[itbdvorm]

Hey guys,

Wanted ur opinion on whether it is better to use a recruiter or to just apply directly to jobs. I'm currently at a regional biglaw firm and would like to move to the big leagues.

I know recruiters get a cut from the law firms but I heard the benefit is that it makes you look more legitimate and less desperate?

Thanks

Exponentially better to apply directly or via a contact at the firm

Recruiters are entitled to a big chunk of change if they hire you. So an added layer of sunk cost risk. Less cost associated w/a direct hire, and benefits of a recruiter are marginal at best.

[misterjames]

Hey guys,

Wanted ur opinion on whether it is better to use a recruiter or to just apply directly to jobs. I'm currently at a regional biglaw firm and would like to move to the big leagues.

I know recruiters get a cut from the law firms but I heard the benefit is that it makes you look more legitimate and less desperate?

Thanks

The best way to apply is through a connection- someone you know who works for the firm and is willing to pass your resume on with their recommendation. You may not think you have such a connection, but make sure first. You never know who your friends know. Second best is through a good recruiter (But there are many bad ones out there). Direct submit without a recruiter or insider is unlikely to be successful. Note that some firms may have specific recruiters they work with.

Anecdotal but I directly applied to ~20 biglaw offices and got screeners at about half. My credentials aren't spectacular, but the practice area is niche-ish. Be aware that if you directly apply, recruiters can't subsequently target the same firms for ~6 months.

do you mind expanding on your background a bit?

[h2go]

Hey guys,

Wanted ur opinion on whether it is better to use a recruiter or to just apply directly to jobs. I'm currently at a regional biglaw firm and would like to move to the big leagues.

I know recruiters get a cut from the law firms but I heard the benefit is that it makes you look more legitimate and less desperate?

Thanks

The best way to apply is through a connection- someone you know who works for the firm and is willing to pass your resume on with their recommendation. You may not think you have such a connection, but make sure first. You never know who your friends know. Second best is through a good recruiter (But there are many bad ones out there). Direct submit without a recruiter or insider is unlikely to be successful. Note that some firms may have specific recruiters they work with.

Anecdotal but I directly applied to ~20 biglaw offices and got screeners at about half. My credentials aren't spectacular, but the practice area is niche-ish. Be aware that if you directly apply, recruiters can't subsequently target the same firms for ~6 months.

do you mind expanding on your background a bit?

Slightly above median from T25 in Biglaw in non-NYC primary market to Biglaw in a different non-NYC primary market. Junior in transactional practice area.