3 Things about Recruiters You Didn’t Know

Here are three things I didn’t know about recruiters until I became one!

1. Most companies will not accept your resume from an external recruiter if you ever applied there in the past, for any office and for any position. The employer’s rationale is it already knows you so why would it give the recruiter credit? One caveat is if I have a great relationship with the company and they understand but for me, they would have missed out on you! A second caveat is companies may accept your resume from me even if you previously applied after some arbitrary time limit has passed (6 months to many years to never). These two caveats are on a case-by-case basis, so do track where you applied and when. 
2. Carefully consider how to apply for a job. Is it better via online, friend, or recruiter? Rarely do online applications work (unless you are in the 3-8 year level with great schools and firms with transactional skills). If the recruiter has a great relationship with the hiring manager and will get you straight to him or her, I recommend going through the recruiter because you can still have your friend put in a good word for you. But if you or your friend submits you first, the recruiter is barred, and you might want that recruiter to advocate for you and update you throughout the process.
3. Recruiters need to be approved vendors to be able to submit candidates to that company. (Just as lawyers have to sign engagement letters with clients before starting work, I have to sign a service agreement with companies.) Sometimes candidates notice I am connected to a hiring manager and ask if I can connect them, but unfortunately unless I have an agreement in place, that hiring manager doesn’t want to hear from me.