Should I work with multiple recruiters for a job search or just pick one?

Question

So I posted my resume on dice and monster last night and today I've received 5 voicemails and about 6 emails from different recruiters wanting to talk to me. What's the best way to handle this situation. I want to reply to them all of course as I'm very interested in making an imminent job change. Is there some sort of rule of thumb here? It seems to me they would want to work with me exclusively if they could. I don't want to limit my options though..

Answer 1

Usually they want exclusivity. I would tell them you're working with another one or at the least not to present you to the same companies.

Answer 2

There's no reason to limit yourself to one, it's just not in your best interests. For the recruiter of course, it's best if they 'own' you, so they'll often try to arrange things that way. Be willing to let them help you find a job, but just say no thank you to being exclusive if they're polite about it, and drop them outright if they are not. There are plenty of recruiters out there.

Work with many, have them compete, whoever gets you the best job wins. Their self-interest will get them past your insistence on non-exclusivity.

The only caveat is to make sure to tell them they may not speak to a client about you without your permission in advance, to be sure you are never submitted twice to the same client from different recruiters. Managing that becomes your responsibility, but it's well worth it for the opportunity.

One other thing, try to get jobs directly if possible, recruiters usually lower your potential pay by 20% or so by getting that for themselves when they place you.

Answer 3

On your place I would just ask during the phone call or by email, that you are going to work via several agents. In my case they didn't mind. The only thing is that you do not apply for the same job position twice from different agencies. You can trace this yourself, when agency sends you the job profile: they usually provide city and is it unlikely that two agencies will send you two offers in the same city for approval.

Answer 4

I used multiple ones in the past. I highly suggest having a spreadsheet knowing where you have been applied, when and where in the process you are so that should the same job appear from 2 agencies you don't double dip and get applied from each, which is what dma_k mentions. I don't think I ever had mentions of exclusivity but maybe I wasn't working with the right firms that would be more upfront about that.

Answer 5

Be up front - as most of the other posts say. It's always good to be honest. If you have a recruiter who demands exclusivity, the recruiter had better have some pretty awesome options to offer.

At the same time, I don't believe in a scatter shot approach. If you already have a job (even if you hate it), you probably don't want to loose it. Which means you need to spend some number of hours a week at work, working. Which means the time you have to coordinate with reviewers, do phone interviews and go to onsite interviews is limited, particularly since most do not work in the evening.

I will generally work with a recruiter if the recruiter is able to get me interviews that fit my interests. If my resume says "software development" and the recruiter is offering me "testing" or "IT", it's probably not a good fit. I may give a call to the recruiter and ask if they have opportunities that fit me better. Also, if the recruiter can't communicate well, I generally find it's not worth my time. I neither want to be represented by someone with poor communication skills, nor do I want to waste my time trying to figure out what they are saying.

Admittedly, the bar goes down if you are out of a job and looking - you have more time to spend on the search, and also a more urgent need for an opportunity. Still and all, the day is limited to 24 hours, and it's worth it to try to find the strategy most likely to produce a result. Joel's "Smart and Gets Things Done" book has some great recommendations for people looking to hire good people that also apply to good people looking to get great jobs.

Answer 6

Do not leave any stone unturned

Do everything you can to get the job.

Answer 7

I've worked with multiple headhunters for every job search I've ever done (6 or 7 now) over the last 16 years, and in my experience, they all assume that you are working with multiple headhunters. So I don't think there's any reason to feel bad or apologize for multiple folks. I usually don't even have to tell them I'm working with multiple guys.

Every once in a while I'll run into someone that wants to be "the guy" for me, and doesn't want me to work with any other headhunter. Pretty soon after that, they'll also be asking for some kind of payment from you for them to look for a job for you. THIS IS A SCAM...DO NOT DO THIS!!! Never commit to one headhunter, or pay them for anything out of your own pocket. They get paid by the company that hires you. If anyone ever violates either of these rules, just walk away.

Headhunters don't all get the same job listings, so it is in your best interest to work with multiple headhunters. Lots of companies only work with one or two agencies, so you'll have to work with as many headhunters as you can find to cast as wide a net as possible.

The reputable headhunters will call you before putting you in for a job for two reasons...to make sure you are qualified for the position, and to make sure that someone else hasn't already put you in for that position. If you get double submitted to a company, and they hire you, whoever put your resume in first gets the bounty.

Also, keep a record of everyone you worked with to kickstart your next job search. The good ones are also interested in maintaining a long-term relationship with you. They know that even if they didn't get you the job this time, they'll still have a chance the next time around. They also know that some of the folks they work with will eventually become hiring managers, and if they've been working with you over the last 5-10 years, they've got their "in".

Answer 8

Be organized and keep track of who you are communicating with for what job. Part of building a professional career is about building networks; this includes networking with recruiting agencies.

As you develop that, you will built relationships with a few selected agents (not just recruiting agencies, but specific people working for those agencies.)

You will run into some slime balls every once in a while so always keep your eyes open. But in general, you should keep you doors open to any and all legit possibilities.