Should I work with a recruiter or apply directly?

In this issue:

• Introduction - understanding why most recruiters are bad

• Quick guide on difference between agency vs. internal recruiters

• Understanding common pain points

• Pros to working with a recruiter

One of the most common questions I get from these coaching calls is whether or not you should work with a recruiter directly

Why it matters:

It’s no secret that the average job seeker has a negative opinion about recruiters. And honestly, I don’t blame them.

My peers and I actually have a saying “no one hates recruiters more than other recruiters”.

We understand there’s so much fluff in the industry. Reason why is because 1) there’s such a low barrier to enter and 2) there’s high turnover.

So even as bad recruiters quit the industry, just as many re-enter the system.

Agency Recruiter vs. Internal Recruiter

As you guys know, I’m an agency recruiter. So companies hire mine to help them hire people for them.

An internal recruiter works directly for that company and only recruits for that specific company, and usually for a specific LOB/Org within said company.

The purpose of this post argues why you should consider using either agency/internal recruiters, whoever is reaching out to you, instead of bypassing them to apply online yourself.

Perspective of a job seeker

Misalignment of Goals:

One common piece of feedback I hear from job seekers is that recruiters are too transactional. For the most part, I completely agree.

There are a lot of bad recruiters out there that just look at you and see dollar signs.

This is because of our incentives.

• Agency recruiters make commission off of you when we place you

• Internal recruiters don’t make commission, but may make a quarterly/yearly bonus. Even if they don’t their performance depends on job security.

Rebuttal: Can’t deny there is a misalignment of goals. But think of it like this. It’s in my benefit to do whatever I can to place you. Assuming you’re a fit for the job - both soft/hard skills - I’ll send you straight to the manager’s inbox and bypassing any ATS. You’ll get interview prepped by the recruiter who has insider knowledge on how the team works. In terms of comp, Agency recruiters get paid (for perm roles) the more you do. So it’s in our best interest to try to get you as much as possible.

Lack of Communication:

Probably the biggest complaint I get - ghosting.

You work with recruiters only to never hear from them ever again.

Rebuttal: I get it - that being said - if you’re getting ghosted, just assume you were rejected. But here’s the thing, if you got an interview because you worked with a recruiter, there’s a good chance you may not have gotten it without one. I’m sure you’ve seen all the posts about people applying to 100s of jobs with no interviews. Working with a recruiter bypasses that and makes sure you go straight to the ATS.

Pressure to Accept Roles:

Job seekers may feel pressured by recruiters to take offers or move forward with interviews for positions they’re not fully interested in. This can make candidates feel as if their preferences and concerns are being overlooked.

Rebuttal: Recruiters like this suck. They are short term, transactional, and don’t have your best interest at heart. But that doesn’t mean all are bad. Try to weed out bad recruiters up front by asking good questions. Because if you find a good recruiter they can really increase your chances of landing another role.

Wait, does your fee come out of my paycheck?

No! The common misconception is if you bypass us (as in agency recruiters) that means you’ll make less on your salary because the manager needs to pay us our fee.

I can see why people make that assumption, but if you talk to any hiring manager about this - let alone recruiter - they’ll tell you that’s false.

Think about it like this: You have a 401k and you have your checking account.

Yes, both are technically your money, just like a fee for us vs. budget for your salary is the manager’s money.

But they’re used for two completely different things.

Why you should consider working with a recruiter:

Direct Manager Relationships

Before you decide to just apply to the role and apply directly, consider this: the whole hiring process is broken.

I wrote about this previously which you can read here:

Long story short, internal recruiters are stretched thin due to the mass amounts of layoffs that affected HR depts the last 2 years. So they’re working dozens and dozens of roles with hundreds and hundreds of candidates.

It’s not guaranteed they’re going to see your resume if you apply online.

Now - if you apply through an agency recruiter - your resume is going straight to the managers inbox. Whether they like you or not is one thing. At least you’re getting seen.

For Internal Recruiters - this is also why it should be preferable to work with them assuming they reach out to you vs applying online.

Access to Hidden Opportunities:

Recruiters often have access to exclusive job openings that aren’t publicly advertised. They maintain relationships with companies looking for talent and can help you tap into the hidden job market.

For example, I post an extremely minimal amount of jobs online. On top of that, since we have good relationships with managers, we can proactively market you to managers to see if they can create a role for you if they like your background.

Of course a common rebuttal here *for agency recruiters) is: well I can just apply directly to the client?

Sure - but then again I’d refer you back to my above point.

Expert Negotiation:

Agency Recruiters can negotiate on your behalf for better salaries, benefits, and other perks. Since they understand the market, specialize in a niche, and the specific demands of roles, they can help maximize your compensation package.

We are also incentivized to to help you get the best possible package. Since our fee’s are calculated based off your salary, the more you make, the more we make.

Industry Insights and Preparation:

Both Agency and Internal Recruiters can give you insights into the hiring process, company culture, and specific role requirements.

They can help you prepare for interviews by sharing what particular companies or hiring managers are looking for.

Now if you apply directly and you get picked up on, of course you’ll get this through the internal recruiter later on.

But again, let’s go back to my first point. In this market, that’s a big “if”.

So if either an internal or agency recruiter reaches out, just play it safe and go through them.

Also to note: the agency recruiter may have other opportunities at hand for you since we have the benefit of not being tied to one specific company. Further, they can give you more insight as to what the market as a whole is targeting for someone in your niche, not just one company.

Time and Stress Management:

Job searches can be time-consuming and stressful.

Recruiters handle the administrative and communication side of the process, allowing you to focus on preparing for interviews and other priorities while they coordinate with hiring companies.

So we essentially act as your sports agent with all this stuff while you carry on with life.

Bottom Line:

I know most recruiters suck. But good ones can really accelerate your job search.

Weed out the bad ones, use the good ones, and I think you’ll find that you’ll get more traction out of your job search.

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If you’ve applied to do coaching calls, again, I apologize for the delay. I’m seeing massive demand. Business logic says to increase the price when you’re seeing demand, but I don’t want to do that as I want to make sure these calls are affordable and fair.

Anyways, if you’re interested, you can book a call below. I’m aiming to get back to everyone by end of week.