Scenario: You apply for a job, do seemingly well in the hiring process, go all the way to the end, but the stars don't align and another candidate gets the spot.
A few weeks later another position open in the same company (an even better fitting role). Do you re-apply through the website or send an email to the recruiter you were talking to?
There's no right or wrong here, but usually we follow the same route thought which we received the information.
Generally, when applying for jobs, regardless of any prior knowledge or existing relationships, the first step should be to respect the employer's process. If an employer has a jobs portal, or all their positions are posted through some specific jobs website (i.e. linkedin or whatever), or the employer uses a specific third party recruiter for their hiring, then you should apply through that channel, no matter what. Besides simply showing that you can understand and respect a process they've put in place, this will prevent your resume from falling through the cracks. A resume in an jobs portal will ultimately be funneled through the hiring process. A resume sent to a person may or may not actually get into the official process (for one thing, what if that person is on vacation?)
Then, as a follow up, if you have a contact at the employer that you have a positive relationship with - such as a recruiter you've spoken to about a different role - reach out to the contact, supply your resume directly, and mention to them that you were happy to have the chance to apply to X position. This way, if they did feel highly of you, they can help push your application along.
Jobs are found in various ways, but are offered based on relationships (existing or developing a new one).
If you liked the recruiter and genuinely feel the previous job was a "near miss" but this one is a much better fit, reach out to the recruiter. Having a human advocate is far better than getting lost in an automated processing bin.
Also, a good recruiter can provide more feedback on how to re-write your resume, reinforce what you did well before and help you avoid pitfalls that may have hurt you previously.
If you have a contact within the company (like from HR), that might be better.
If you found the job without the recruiter, there is a credible position to apply via the same route. However, recruiters are paid to be sure that your application is seriously considered... a portal has not such bias in your favor.
Good luck!
