If you find a job opening on your own, leave your recruiter out of the process

Q: I located a position on a company's Web site and asked my recruiter to submit my resume, but he has been unable to secure an interview or any feedback for me. Now I would like to submit my resume directly to the company. I don't want to break any rules of engagement or cause any conflicts between the company and the recruiter. Any suggestions on a course of action?

NICK'S REPLY: Why did you notify "your recruiter" about the position you found? By definition, a recruiter works for his client companies, not on your behalf. This is a misconception a lot of job hunters have. If he didn't know about the company or the job to begin with, he's not recruiting for them. His submission of your resume can create a real conflict for you. You should have approached the company on your own.

At this point, you can try to contact the company directly, but odds are that they've already made a decision about you based on the recruiter's representations. Or, if they don't use external recruiters, they may not talk to you now because they'd have to pay the recruiter a fee if they hire you. Not all companies are prepared to pay headhunting fees.

There is of course a chance that the hiring manager hasn't seen your resume, and if you re-submit it you might get the ball rolling. Just be prepared for a bit of flak if the recruiter turns up in the middle of the deal.

From an ethical standpoint, going around a recruiter is inappropriate if he introduces you to an opportunity. But in this case, the recruiter should have told you to approach the company on your own.

Recruiters don't work for job hunters. They are paid by and are beholden to employers. When they recruit you for a job, that's one thing. When you take an opportunity to them and ask them to represent you, you're opening a can of worms. Consider this a lesson learned, but I'd submit a resume and take my chances.

THE HEADHUNTER TIP:

Seize the interview

Is it any wonder when a manager is surprised that a good interviewee has turned out to be a poor worker? And yet, how many managers go to the trouble to walk a candidate through the place where the work is to be done, showing him the tools to be used, demonstrating what the job entails from start to finish? Managers rarely explain in hard, fast detail what their problem is and where they need help.

So what is a good, prepared candidate to do? It is ultimately up to you to guide your interviews toward their critical purpose: proof that you can do the job. If the poor employer doesn't know how to accomplish this himself, you must act. Seize the interview. Ask to see the workplace and the tools. Ask to meet the co-workers. Ask what the problem is. Talk shop. Show how you would do the job.

Copyright 2009. Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate

Nick Corcodilos is author of "Ask The Headhunter: Reinventing the Interview to Win the Job" and the host of www.asktheheadhunter.com. He can be reached by e-mail at seattle@asktheheadhunter.com or at North Bridge Group, P.O. Box 600, Lebanon, NJ 08833. Sorry, no personal replies.