Greetings All,

I have missed everyone!  Feeling quite inspired after being away, and I have so much good material to share.  This post is directed to job seekers who might not have experience working with a professional headhunter or recruiter. Let me start by saying that I am on hiatus from the recruiting biz, but gladly give out referrals and offer help to those who need it. I heard a story last week and felt compelled to share. No-one likes being double-crossed or back-doored.  That is the quickest way to have your name black listed around town.

If you are actively job hunting, and a recruiter contacts you to discuss an opportunity, you have two choices:  either work with that recruiter to pursue the opportunity or 2- say no thanks, I am not interested and can find my own job.  This is Ethics 101. Like any professional relationship, working with a recruiter requires trust and honesty.  It is a two way street.

Not all recruiters are created equal, but for the basis of this post, let's assume the recruiter is of high calliber, strong moral character, a pillar in the community, a force to be reckoned with, and someone who loves his truck.  It is not a good idea to side step the recruiting process to secure an interview for yourself.  It makes you look bad, and if the client is willing to participate in those kinds of shenanigans, that should be a flag to you as a job seeker.  In these economic times, don't let stress or desperation cloud your decision making ability.  Be honest with the recruiter.  Communicate your intentions, and if you have concerns about the search process, share them.  If the recruiter finds out what you have been scheming on the side, it won't be pretty.  Recruiters have lots of friends, and they also like to talk... occupational hazard for the job seeker.

Morale of the story: Don’t be so desperate you throw professionalism and rational thinking out the window. It takes years to build a good reputation and only seconds to ruin it. Don’t want to follow the rules of engagement? No problem…. You just landed on the black list.  Excellent work.

Happy Hunting,
Leigh