Is it a good idea to contact the hiring manager of a company that's going through a recruiting agency?

Question

From what I understand, many engineering companies will hire through third party recruiters. The listings that I have read so far seem to intentionally obfuscate key information: which company is hiring, and who the hiring manager is. I managed to complete a phone interview with the company going through the recruiter which gave me insight into which company was hiring, and who the hiring manager was. I contacted the recruiter for the hiring manager's email address so that I could send them a followup email, but the recruiter said that they would handle it on my behalf.

Frustrated with the lack of response, I did some digging and found the hiring manager on LinkedIn! This would give me a potential avenue of contact, but I wonder if this would come off as violating any boundaries. Or, perhaps just as bad, maybe I would become a conflict of interest and would then be unable to be hired.

Is reaching out to the hiring manager over LinkedIn a good idea in this situation?

Answer 1

Is reaching out to the hiring manager over LinkedIn a good idea in this situation?

No. A recruiting agency insulates a company from the day-to-day-to-day details and significant effort involved in hiring. Companies want to interview good candidates, and have a single point of contact (the recruiter) to handle all the communication and logistics.

If you contact the company directly, you risk annoying both the hiring manager and the recruiter, and may also unwittingly demonstrate that you are incapable of following directions. The instinct to follow up after the interview is a good one, but you'll just have to trust that the recruiter has followed up on your behalf.

It would certainly be preferable to negotiate directly with the company, but ultimately, if you want a job there, you'll have to follow the rules that they established.

Know also, unfortunately, that you are not entitled to a response -- if you don't get the job you may never hear back. Continue your job search as though the answer will be no, to avoid wasting any time.

Answer 2

It is perfectly OK and normal for you to email directly on the understanding that you're coming via recruiter SuperStaff Inc.

Hence, your email would say:

Hi Steve, enjoyed our interview Monday. This is John McFat, Jake at SuperStaff connected us. Any next steps? I'm very keen to blah blah.

It's that easy - no big deal.

Recruiters are a dumpster fire. No reason not to contact directly (assuming that is a good idea per se).

Obviously, maintain the understanding that you're via SuperStaff.

All SOP, nothing to see.

Answer 3

No.

If you have already been proffered to the company, then you are covered by a contract (formal or clear common expectation) that the company is not allowed to hire you except through the recruiter. They will not hire you and the recruiter will blacklist you. Anyone else that finds out will consider you unethical.

You could contact them and still say you’re coming through the recruiter but there’s a lot to go wrong there - they may have already told the recruiter “no” on you and they are paying recruiter fees to not have to deal with you themselves, to be blunt.

Answer 4

I contacted the recruiter for the hiring manager's email address so that I could send them a followup email, but the recruiter said that they would handle it on my behalf.

The recruiter told you not to contact the company directly. If you value the recruiter, you should not go against their word, that could only spoil your relationship.

If you don't value the recruiter, you shouldn't be working with them in the first place.