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I was head-hunted a few years ago for a position at Company A by an executive search/recruitment agency. The agency was very professional and I really liked working with them. The job they found me is great. I've been working in that same position for a few years now (3 years+) and I'm very happy, but I feel like I'm ready to move on to a new more challenging role and to a new company.

I've recently seen an interesting job at Company B advertised on the website of the same recruitment agency that had introduced me to the company that I'm working for right now. I really liked working with them in the past, and would like to work with them again for my current job-hunt.

My question is: can I apply for this new role at company B through the same recruitment agent that had hired me for my current position at company A a few years ago? Or is the recruiter under some sort of obligation to my current employer - Company A*- not to represent me for a new role with another company?

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  • This is something you should take up with your recruiter, as only they know if they can hook you up with company B.
    – DarkCygnus ♦
    Commented Jun 20, 2018 at 19:01
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    no. after 6 months a recruiter doesn't mind where you go (altho they would probably prefer you last at least 1 year). they will be happy to get you a new role. doubly so, because due to their success with you, they'll probably also be able to sell your replacement to your company.
    – bharal
    Commented Jun 20, 2018 at 19:02
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    I think @bharal is mostly correct, although sometimes it's not 6 months, it's 3 or 12 or something similar. The more senior the position, the higher the "cooldown" period. But I can't imagine any of them having a sunset clause of more than 3 years except possible for a C-level role.
    – corsiKa
    Commented Jun 20, 2018 at 20:46
  • @corsiKa - Thank you; that might explain things. I was placed into an executive role at Company A and then promoted to C-Level (same role, but the remit has been expanded), and the role that I've applied at Company B for through the same recruiter is also C-Level. I haven't heard back from the recruiter, so I was worried I may have committed a faux pas. I'm guessing there's an agreement in place like the one that you mentioned, which might explain the recruiter's silence.
    – Dana13
    Commented Jun 21, 2018 at 15:41

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Ask the recruiting agency. The only conflict I can think of is if there is a blurb in the contract between the recruiting agency and your current company that the recruiting agency can't attempt to place anyone who has already been placed within the terms of the contract within {whatever time period}.

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  • Thank you! That's kind of what I thought. But I wasn't sure if recruitment agencies have a contract with my current employer than bars them from representing me to another company for another role years down the line.
    – Dana13
    Commented Jun 20, 2018 at 19:05
  • Yeah that information may not be supplied to candidates, so you'd have to ask. I know that it is common with contracts between consulting companies and businesses that prevent each other from attempting to hire each other's employees. Don't know if it's the same for recruiting agencies.
    – Jim Horn
    Commented Jun 20, 2018 at 19:10
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can I apply for this new role at company B through the same recruitment agent that had hired me for my current position at company A a few years ago?

I don't see why not. Besides, if they are advertising company B on their website it's because they are able to connect people with them.

However, this is something you have to check with your recruiter (plus checking your contract for any info) to see if they don't have any inconvenience with that, to be 100% sure.

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  • Thank you! The job is advertised on the recruiter's website. But I was wondering if recruitment agencies are under any legal or ethical obligation not to represent me to company B because they had in the past found me the role that I'm currently in at company A.
    – Dana13
    Commented Jun 20, 2018 at 19:06
  • @Dana13 that would depend if there exists a contract or agreement between the recruiting agency and Company A, thus why it would be better to ask your recruiter to be sure
    – DarkCygnus ♦
    Commented Jun 20, 2018 at 19:08
  • That's very helpful. Thanks! I'll contact the recruiter to check.
    – Dana13
    Commented Jun 20, 2018 at 19:12

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