How To Choose A Recruiter Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm sure this is a heavily-trafficked topic and likely a recurring question, but I clicked through a few pages of threads and don't see it:

How do you choose a recruiter?

For context, I'm a fifth year V50 litigation associate who is generally happy but looking for a new firm in NYC for certain strategic reasons. That means there are approximately 10k different recruiters in my inbox. I can look at their emails and websites and try to screen based on who sounds annoying, seems like a joke, or at least claims to work in my markets. But that's about it. Has anybody figured out good heuristics for that?

It seems like the default answer is "use the same recruiter your friends used," and that's probably what I'll do. But I want to do a little diligence first, and appreciate anybody's helpful stories.

[almostperfectt]

I went down the long list of recruiting emails and chose the one that seemed the most thoughtful, professional, aligned with my interests and skillset (I wanted to be a specialist of a specialist group if that makes sense).

Then it was just feeling out the vibes (plus how many interviews they got me). If it felt weird I would back out and find someone else.

[ExpOriental]

Why are you starting from the assumption that you should use a recruiter in the first place?

[Anonymous User]

I personally like having a recruiter because I like having an intermediary (I think it can be easier to have your recruiter ask certain questions, follow up, etc. than having to do it directly). Talk to them and see if you like them and think they would represent you well.

You also don't have to use the same recruiter for everything. If you get a contact from a recruiter who has an unpublished job opening, you can use that recruiter for just that opening if you want.

[Anonymous User]

I used a recruiter recently and recommend using a recruiter from one of the larger reputable shops (Major Lindsey, Lateral Link, etc.). A recruiter's value is in their knowledge of the market and relationships they develop with law firms. Larger recruiter shops likely have placed the most associates and so my assumption is that they have the most market insight. I used a Lateral Link recruiter recently and I noticed that he had developed a relationship with the recruiting teams of one of the firms I was interested in, and I felt like that was a factor in me getting an offer at that firm.

I know that Lateral Link has the bio of each recruiter listed on their website, so you can see which one has practiced litigation at a major law firm for a bit and which one has the most recruiting experience. You can just email that person directly.

Recruiters also know which firms are offering signing bonuses and how much they typically offer, which I found helpful in my negotiations.

Hope that helps.

[Anonymous User]

I chose the hottest one. Not kidding.

[Anonymous User]

I chose the hottest one. Not kidding.

What benefit does that get you. Asking seriously.

[Anonymous User]

I chose the hottest one. Not kidding.

What benefit does that get you. Asking seriously.

None

[Anonymous User]

My recruiter did nothing and got 85k as a bonus for simply telling me about a job I would have applied to anyway.

I actually spoke to recruiting about this at my current v50. Apparently 60-90k is going rate for placing a lateral associate.

My thought is, if there's someone you may know or even just someone who went to your law school at a firm, email that person first to express a general interest. If you get the job, they get a referral bonus (30-50k depending on the shop). This saves the firm 30-60k by not paying a recruiter. I have been told that this leaves you in a slightly better position to get your signing bonus up since the firm hasn't paid the super high recruiter fee.

In addition, once you get an offer at a firm, the incentives no longer seem to align for your recruiter to help you get a bigger bonus. They want you to sign on the line so they get their 60-90k.

Thus, I'd at least consider ditching the recruiter, especially if you know anyone, even tangentially, at the place you're applying. I'm sure the recruiters on here are going to take this down, but I stand by it--especially if you are decently credentialed and applying down a tier on the vault rankings.

[Anonymous User]

+1 to the above. I’ve never lateraled, but if I did, I’d try on my own and go for a bigger bonus.

You’re a mid level, and lit is still okay-ish now for hiring. Ask yourself what value a recruiter would add. You can find jobs yourself and apply through a connection at the firm who wants the placement bonus (and may split with you). If you’re good at interviewing and comfortable with your resume, I don’t see what benefit the firm paying someone $90k for emailing your resume and acting as a liaison adds.

[Anonymous User]

+1 to the above. I’ve never lateraled, but if I did, I’d try on my own and go for a bigger bonus.

You’re a mid level, and lit is still okay-ish now for hiring. Ask yourself what value a recruiter would add. You can find jobs yourself and apply through a connection at the firm who wants the placement bonus (and may split with you). If you’re good at interviewing and comfortable with your resume, I don’t see what benefit the firm paying someone $90k for emailing your resume and acting as a liaison adds.

This is a completely myopic perspective. Firms pay a signing bonus based on supply and demand, there is very little chance they would increase your signing bonus because you cut the recruiter out. If they cared about recruiter costs, they could just interview more people applying on the website. Recruiters serve a very useful gatekeeping function for the firm, in getting them the type of candidates they want to interview. To the extent you don't fit the exact mold, and most folks don't, a good recruiter is going to be a great resource in getting you interviews by pleading your case and vouching for you. To me its totally nuts to fly blind without a recruiter, no market intel, no intermediary to get you the best possible financial offer, no one to leverage mutliple firms for you. Now obviously a mediocre recuriter is bad, but a good recruiter is golden (iff you are marketable).

[Anonymous User]

Is it poor form to work with multiple recruiters? When’s the cutoff when you’re committed to one, when they send your resume?

[mwells_56]

Is it poor form to work with multiple recruiters? When’s the cutoff when you’re committed to one, when they send your resume?

I worked with multiple recruiters in my most recent search. Just make sure each of them knows you're working with the other and tell them which firms the other is reaching out to. Kinney didn't seem to mind and LL wasn't thrilled about it but it's not like there was anything they could do about it.

FWIW, I lateraled as a corporate first-year from a primary market to a secondary market, LL found me a job within like 2 weeks with a reasonable signing bonus. I didn't have to write any cover letters or spend the time myself submitting my resume and transcript to each of the places they applied to for me, made my life a lot easier.