Questions you may want to ask Headhunters or Recruiters after an Interview
Dealing with recruiters and headhunters is slightly different than dealing directly with an employer. In many cases, the recruiting firm (or headhunting firm) is hired to "weed out" candidates. This means that if you have attended an interview that you were one of a small handful of people to be interviewed. With this in mind, there are some questions that you may want to ask headhunters or recruiters after an interview.
How long before a decision is made?
As a general rule of thumb, after a candidate is interviewed from a recommendation from a recruiting or headhunting firm, the company seldom takes a very long time to make a decision. The major difference in dealing with the employer is that the firm will contact them regarding time frames versus you contacting them.
If you have not asked beforehand
For those who have not asked recruiting firms or headhunting firms before hand, find out who is paying their fees. In some instances, certain companies may deduct the fee from the employees first years salary or they may be splitting the fee between the employer and employee. While you should find this out before an interview, if you have not this is a good time to ask.
Contracts between recruiters and employers
One of the critical things you should find out is about contracts between the agency and your potential employer. Contracts may hold you to working for an employer for a specified length of time regardless of whether you are happy with the job or not. Additional caveats may include "at-will" status where an employer may discharge you with or without cause for a specified period of time.
Who you receive your pay from
In some cases, a headhunting firm may be obliged by the terms of their contract to pay your salary for a specific period of time after you have been hired. This is something you want to confirm with the agency after your interview. The solvency of the agency should be investigated if this is the case.
Summary
While headhunters and recruiters may make it easier for you to obtain an interview with the employer of your choice, it may not be all it is cracked up to be. There are a lot of questions that you may want to ask headhunters or recruiters after an interview that could be critical to your decision as to whether you will accept a position if it is offered to you.
