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>
> > My take on this whole thread from the positive, negative, and
> > indifferent experiences others have had working with recruiters is
that
> > it is nice to have a relationship with a recruiting firm at the time
you
> > are not actively seeking a new job or new contract (they keep you
> > abreast of opportunities in the field) but when it comes time to
make a
> > job change, it seems you're almost always better off kicking the
> > recruiter to the curb and approaching companies as an
self-represented
> > independent agent. This benefits you by negotiating the most money
for
> > your pocket directly with the employer. It also benefits the
employer by
> > avoiding interviews with every unsuitable candidate the recruiter
trots
> > out to them because they don't understand the needs of the company,
the
> > requirements of the position, and the qualifications of the
candidates.
>
> Seems to me that is shows the employer that you are willing to bend
ethics
> if a dollar is involved, and you are asking them to do the same. Most
> recruiters, like most sales people, are not bottom feeders, but
> responsible professionals. That recruiter may have worked hard to get
an
> opening in the company for you and he/she should be rewarded for their
> efforts. In fact, in many cases, recruiting firms have an agreement
with
> a company to supply pre-screened resumes. That agreement usually
states
> that the company can hire a candidate directly for a fee. If your
resume
> was already submitted by the recruiter and you show up behind his/her
> back, it's almost a certain guarantee that you will not get an
interview
> regardless of how much you show the company how they can save money by
> hiring you directly if the company has a contract with the recruiting
> firm. Furthermore, word gets around that you cannot be trusted which
> impacts your ability to generate revenue as an employee or a
contractor.
> I'd say that if you don't want to use a recruiting firm, don't, but if
you
> do use one, don't screw them over, because it might hurt you more then
it
> will hurt them.
>
I never have used a recruiter to get a position, nor have I really
considered using recruiters before this thread began. My personal
opinion of them until a couple of weeks ago has always been that they
must serve a useful purpose for some companies and some job seekers. If
anything, this thread has made my view of recruiters more negative--and
perhaps that's skewed because more people may be willing to share their
horror stories than their success stories.
I have to say that Al makes a great point that some HR managers may find
it unethical to have a candidate apply independently if he or she has
also been referred by a recruiter. I'm certain that recruiters trolling
Monster.com and other job hunter web sites make it inevitable that some
individuals will find a job posting and apply on their own when a
recruiter has already sent the company that person's resume without
their knowledge (especially, since it seems, most recruiters will not
tell candidates which company is offering the position before getting to
the on-site interview stage).
At present, the only "recruitment" tools I have used and continue to use
are resumes posted on monster.com and careerbuilder.com, and the
employment coordinator at my local STC chapter. Through these three
sources I receive daily updates on available jobs. Admittedly the
monster and careerbuilder sites don't offer as tightly focused job
opportunities as the STC postings. But my current job came from a
listing on careerbuilder, and I have several colleagues who have also
used that site to find good jobs in this area.
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