Capture Real-World Career Insight & Advice That Will Prep You for The Big Time

Working With More Than One Recruiter

I'm frequently asked questions about etiquette and procedure when working with recruiters. One question I field most often is whether it is acceptable to work with two recruiters at the same time. There are varying opinions on this topic but here's my two cents.

It depends. I don't mean to be vague here but that's the truth. Let me explain. If you are a "hot" candidate with skills that are in high demand and you are looking within a narrow job market (geographically), then you are best to stick with one recruiter. The reason is recruiters are generally paid on a commission or contingency basis. This means they only get paid when the person they present or recommend is hired. If you're working with two different recruiters, from different firms, and they both submit your resume for the same position, you've got a problem. Now the potential employer fears having to pay two fees if they'd like to hire you, and when (not if, but when) the recruiters find out, you will have burned a bridge with two valuable resources.

A great option for these types of candidates is to give a recruiter an exclusive. This means you give your recruiter an opportunity to represent you exclusively for a set period of time and in exchange you promise not to work with any other recruiters for the same time period. If you are working with multiple recruiters and one of them asks for exclusivity, make sure you are open and honest with all of them about your choice. Again, this scenario works best for candidates with skills in high, high demand.  

On the other hand, if you are seeking employment in an industry or a position in high supply or looking in a number of geographic locations, then it is generally best to work with several recruiters and staffing agencies. One reason is that in the recruiting worlds, recruiters can only show you what they have in their portfolio of clients. Working with multiple recruiters makes more sense because it gives you access to the entire job market and can expose you to the broadest range of companies and options as possible. This will increase your chances of standing out among a large number of job seekers and candidates. Just make sure you know where your resume is being submitted in order to avoid the unlikely scenario above.