Use headhunters or not - landing a job in hedge funds

Google / Eng
:) Earth

Go to company page Google Eng

BIO
27 years old, L3 SWE
:) Earth
Apr 18, 2020 50 Comments

Is it beneficial to go via headhunter route compared to directly contacting company recruiter?

Is it helpful to use headhunters?

Assuming companies need to pay commission, does it affect my salary if I choose to go the headhunter route?

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TOP 50 Comments
  • Google / Eng
    :) Earth

    Go to company page Google Eng

    BIO
    27 years old, L3 SWE
    :) Earth
    OP
    What if there is no way to get referral but the choice is between contacting recruiter directly vs headhunter?
    Apr 18, 2020 24
    • ^ I would say keep trying new ones until you find a good one who has a lot of good connections and is interested in a longer term relationship. The best headhunter I worked with still kept in touch even after I failed all the interviews he landed me and was looking forward to where/what I ended up with. Never pressured me or showed bias towards his places either even when I was still in the running either because he was confident that they’d all be competitive.
      Apr 30, 2020
    • New
      will champ

      New

      BIO
      Recruiter for VCs and portfolio companies
      will champ
      Headhunter here. Don’t recruit for hedge funds, but for VC and Growth Equity shops. Shoot your questions.
      May 6, 2020
  • Here is my tiny contribution: I got three job offers with two different independent recruiters and two job offers by applying to companies through their website. The independent recruiters didn't offer anything more than lies, intense pressure and bitterness over any success I got in the job market without their "aid". The internal recruiters that responded to my online applications on the other hand were lovely, helpful, actually knew something about the role, and were interested in reaching a mutually beneficial consensus rather than a comission. I will never forget the 3-5 calls/day that I was getting from the independent recruiters and their managers trying to pressure me into decisions that could be harmful for me and my career. People say that applying for jobs is a stressful experience. I think they're wrong; it's only applying for jobs through recruitment agencies that's stressful . . .
    Apr 19, 2020 0
  • Just message company recruiters directly or get referral
    Apr 18, 2020 0
  • @Op it doesn’t affect your salary. Also messaging a company is like farting into a black hole if you don’t already have a SOLID connection there. Finally I’ve literally never gotten a gig I applied for, because what internal recruiters have to sort through is so vast. I have been hired by internals pinging me but never the other way around. Also I’ve been hired after being engaged by headhunters.

    Good luck!
    Apr 19, 2020 2
  • get a referral
    Apr 18, 2020 0