Recruiters have been a staple in the workforce since the birth of the industry in the 1940’s; but even some experienced attorneys don’t quite understand how recruiters operate and how they can effectively leverage their relationship with a recruiter.  Let’s take a look at some answers to common questions about recruiters:

1. Does my recruiter work for me?  Yes and no.  While the recruiter will work hard to find placement for the job candidate, most are contracted by the employer to fill positions. If the recruiter works in-house with an employer they will only recruit for that company, while a third-party recruiter might recruit for several employers.  Keeping that in mind, third-party recruiters have a big incentive to make sure that job candidates are placed and paid well.  Third-party recruiters are paid a percentage of the new hire’s salary. The higher the salary, the more the independent recruiter gets paid. All recruiters will work hard to place any candidate who is a good fit for the employer.
2. Can I work for more than one recruiter? Absolutely!  Every recruiter brings to the table their own set of contacts and skills.  Working with more than one recruiter could be beneficial to the job candidate because it expands their exposure. And if the job candidate takes care to select recruiters whose contacts complement each other, he/she will increase the chance of finding work quickly.
3. Do I need to pay the recruiter a fee?  No.  Job candidates are not required to pay a recruiter any upfront fees, nor are they required to pay any fee if they are hired. The recruiter is paid by the employer.  If someone is asking for a fee, they are not a recruiter. Job and career coaches may charge a fee, it’s important that job candidates know the difference.
4. Why does the recruiter want to know which jobs I applied to already?  Recruiters need to know which jobs you applied to so they can avoid double submitting your resume. Usually, a recruiter considering you for a position will ask if you have submitted your resume with the company before.  Be honest when answering this question.  Submitting your resume multiple times to the same company does not increase your chances of getting hired.