How to Work With Recruiters: Agency vs. In-House

A recruiter's message can feel like a shortcut past the application pile, and sometimes it is. Other times you have a great call, send your resume, and never hear back. Knowing how to work with recruiters comes down to one fact most job seekers miss: recruiters work for employers, not for you. Once you understand how they are paid and what they need, you can make yourself the candidate they want to move forward.

This guide explains the different types of recruiters, how agency and in-house recruiters differ, and how each one's incentives shape what they can do for you. You will learn how to get noticed, what to ask on a first call, how to avoid the duplicate-submission trap, and how to negotiate an offer that comes through a recruiter.

You will also find scripts for first calls, salary questions, and polite declines, plus a checklist for vetting a recruiter before you let them represent you.

How to work with recruiters: start with who pays them#

Recruiters are hired or contracted by companies to fill specific roles. The company pays the bill, either as the recruiter's employer or as an agency's client. That shapes everything about the relationship.

It means a recruiter's first question is always "Can I place this person in one of my open roles?" If the answer is yes, you have a motivated advocate who wants you to succeed in interviews. If the answer is no, even a friendly recruiter has limited time to spend on you.

What this means for you#

• Recruiters are not career coaches. Some give excellent advice, but their job is filling roles, not managing your career.
• Fit beats effort. Being a strong match for a live role matters more than how often you follow up.
• Speed matters. Recruiters are measured on how quickly they fill roles, so fast, clear replies help you.
• Honesty saves time. Surprises late in a process, like a salary gap or another offer, cost the recruiter credibility with the hiring manager.
• The relationship outlasts the role. A recruiter who could not place you this time may have the right role next year.

Recruiting is a large profession#

Recruiters are counted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as part of human resources specialists, a group that held 939,700 jobs in 2025 with a median pay of $75,940 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Recruiters work across nearly every industry, including in agencies that recruit on behalf of other companies.

The "employment services" slice is where many agency and staffing recruiters sit. The rest are mostly in-house recruiters and HR staff working for one employer.

The types of recruiters, explained#

"Recruiter" covers several different jobs. Each type has different incentives, different access to roles, and a different way of treating candidates.

Agency vs. in-house at a glance#

This table compares the five types you are most likely to meet.

In-house recruiters#

In-house recruiters, also called corporate or talent acquisition recruiters, work for the company that is hiring. They know the team structure, the hiring manager's preferences, the pay band, and how the process works. They usually handle many roles at once.

Use them as a source of inside information. Ask what the team is working on, what the manager values, and what has tripped up past candidates. They want you to do well once you are in the process, because a hire closes their requisition.

Contingency agency recruiters#

Contingency recruiters work for a recruiting firm and are paid by the client company only if a candidate they present is hired. Fees are commonly calculated as a percentage of the new hire's first-year salary, negotiated between the agency and the employer. Because they earn nothing unless someone they present is hired, they move fast and focus on candidates with a high chance of success.

They often specialize by field, such as accounting, software, nursing, or sales, and level. A good one knows many hiring managers in their niche and can get your resume read by someone who would otherwise never see it.

Retained search recruiters#

Retained search firms are hired exclusively by a company to fill a senior role, typically director level and above, and are paid in stages whether or not the search ends in a hire. They do deep research, approach candidates who are not looking, and run a thorough assessment. You rarely apply to them; they find you. If you are aiming at executive roles, see our executive resume guide for how to present yourself to search firms.

Staffing agencies#

Staffing agencies place people in temporary, contract, and contract-to-hire roles. The worker is often employed by the agency, which bills the client company for hours worked. This is a big part of the job market. The American Staffing Association reports that staffing companies hired 12.7 million temporary and contract employees in 2023.

How recruiter incentives shape your experience#

Once you know how a recruiter is paid, their behavior makes more sense. Here is how incentives translate into what you will see.

What each type cares about most#

A worked example of agency incentives#

Say a contingency recruiter has an agreement to receive a fee equal to 20% of first-year base salary, a hypothetical rate used here only to show the math. If you are hired at $90,000, the agency earns $18,000. If you negotiate to $95,000, the fee rises by $1,000.

That small difference explains a common pattern. Agency recruiters do want you to get a good offer, both for the fee and for their reputation. But they want the deal to close even more, because a lost deal earns nothing. Expect them to push for a fast yes and to help bridge gaps, not to hold out for every last dollar.

What recruiters can and can't do for you#

Setting realistic expectations prevents most frustration with recruiters. Here is what a good recruiter can realistically offer.

What they can do#

• Get your resume in front of a hiring manager, sometimes for roles that are not posted publicly.
• Tell you what the hiring manager really cares about, beyond the job description.
• Prepare you for interviews with insight into the format, the people, and past questions.
• Give you salary range information for the role and the market.
• Pass along feedback after interviews, when the company shares it.
• Negotiate on your behalf, or relay your requests at the offer stage.

What they can't do#

• Guarantee you an interview or a job.
• Control how fast the hiring manager moves.
• Place you in a role you are not qualified for.
• Represent you to companies that are not their clients (for agency recruiters).
• Find you a job in a field or level outside their specialty.

The hidden job market is one area where recruiters genuinely help: many agency roles are filled before or without a public posting. But they are one channel among several, not a replacement for your own search.

How to get noticed by recruiters#

Recruiters find most candidates by searching databases and LinkedIn for specific titles, skills, and locations. Your job is to make yourself easy to find and easy to understand in about 10 seconds.

Make your LinkedIn profile searchable#

Recruiters search LinkedIn with keywords, so your profile needs the words they type. Follow these steps:

1. Set a clear headline with your target title and two or three core skills, such as "Senior Data Analyst | SQL, Python, Tableau | Healthcare Analytics." A LinkedIn headline generator can give you options to refine.
2. Use your target job title in your current or most recent position, if it accurately describes your work.
3. Add your top skills in the skills section, using the exact terms from job postings in your field.
4. Set your location to where you want to work, and list remote preferences in Open to Work.
5. Write an About section that states what you do, for whom, and your best results.
6. Turn on Open to Work. If you are employed, choose the recruiters-only visibility setting.

According to LinkedIn Help, the recruiters-only option shows your status to people using LinkedIn Recruiter, and LinkedIn takes steps to hide it from recruiters at your current company, though it says it cannot guarantee complete privacy. Our guides to LinkedIn profile optimization and the Open to Work banner go further.

Find the right recruiters for your niche#

You will get better results from three recruiters who specialize in your field than from 30 generalists. Here is how to find them:

• Ask former colleagues and managers which recruiters placed them or their teams.
• Search LinkedIn for "recruiter" plus your job title or industry, and look for people who post roles like yours.
• Look up the agencies that list jobs similar to yours on job boards.
• Check professional associations in your field, which sometimes list recruiting partners.

Reach out the right way#

When you contact a recruiter, make it easy for them to see where you fit. Keep it short and specific.

Keep a recruiter-ready resume on hand#

When a recruiter asks for your resume, send it the same day. Delays cost you a place in their shortlist. Keep a current version that leads with your target title, a three-line summary, and results-focused bullets for your last two roles. Recruiters often forward your resume to a hiring manager with little editing, so it has to make the case on its own. Run it through a resume checker before you send it, and save it as a PDF with a clear filename such as "Firstname-Lastname-Resume.pdf."

Follow up with in-house recruiters after you apply#

When you apply directly to a company, an in-house recruiter is often the first person to read your application. You can improve your odds by finding that recruiter on LinkedIn and sending a short note after you apply. Search the company name plus "recruiter" or "talent acquisition," and look for someone who covers your function or region.

Keep the note to three or four sentences: the role and requisition number, why you fit in one line, and a thank-you. Do not attach your resume again unless asked, and do not message more than one recruiter at the same company for the same role. If you hear nothing after a week, one polite follow-up is fine.

How to vet a recruiter before you agree to anything#

Most recruiters are professionals doing a hard job. A few are careless with your information or are not who they say they are. Spend five minutes checking before you share your resume or agree to be submitted.

Questions to ask any recruiter#

Signs you may be dealing with a fake recruiter#

Fake recruiter scams have become more common. Be cautious if you see:

• A job offer without any real interview.
• Requests for your Social Security number, bank details, or ID before an offer.
• Pressure to move the conversation to a messaging app.
• An email address that does not match the company's domain.
• A request to deposit a check, buy equipment, or pay for training.

The FTC's guidance is clear: honest employers and placement firms do not charge you to get a job. Our guide to spotting ghost jobs and scams covers more warning signs.

Know your rights#

Recruiters and agencies are covered by anti-discrimination law. The EEOC states that it is illegal for an employer, employment agency, or union to consider characteristics such as race, sex, age, or disability when making referral decisions. If a recruiter asks questions that seem to be screening on those grounds, you can decline to answer and take your search elsewhere.

Your first call with a recruiter: what to prepare#

The first call sets the tone. A recruiter is deciding whether to put their name behind you. Being prepared, concise, and honest makes that decision easy.

What the recruiter will ask#

Expect questions like these, and prepare short answers:

• What are you looking for in your next role?
• Why are you looking now, and why are you leaving your current job?
• What are your salary expectations?
• What is your notice period, or when could you start?
• Are you interviewing elsewhere, and how far along are you?
• Are you open to relocating, commuting, or hybrid work?

Lead with a 30-second introduction#

Most first calls start with "tell me about yourself." Have a short version ready that ends with what you want next. An elevator pitch generator can help you draft it, and our guide on answering "tell me about yourself" has more examples.

Handle the salary question#

Give a researched target range for the new role rather than your current salary. Recruiters need a number to know whether it is worth submitting you, so refusing entirely can stall things. Try this approach:

If you are unsure what range to name, see our guide on answering salary expectations questions.

What not to say on a first call#

A few common missteps can quietly end a process before it starts:

• Criticizing your current or past employer. Recruiters worry you will say the same about their client.
• Saying you will take "anything." It makes you hard to place and sounds like a lack of direction.
• Giving a salary number far outside the role's range without asking what the range is first.
• Hiding a long notice period, a relocation need, or a competing offer. These always surface later, at the worst time.
• Overstating skills you cannot back up in a technical interview.

Questions to ask the recruiter#

The first call is also your chance to learn about the role. Ask:

1. Why is this role open, and how long has it been open?
2. What does the hiring manager care about most?
3. What would make a candidate stand out, or what has made past candidates fall short?
4. What is the salary range and the full compensation structure?
5. What are the interview steps and the expected timeline?
6. How many candidates are you presenting, and how did you find me?

Avoid the duplicate-submission trap#

One of the most damaging mistakes in working with recruiters is being submitted to the same company twice, by two agencies or by an agency and yourself. It can create a dispute over who earns the fee, and some employers handle that by removing the candidate entirely.

Control every submission#

Make a simple rule clear to every recruiter: nothing goes anywhere without your written approval for that specific company and role. Many recruiters will ask you to confirm a "right to represent" by email before they submit you. That is a good practice, and you can request it if they do not.

Track who submitted you where#

Keep a log with the company, role, recruiter, agency, and date of each submission. Before you apply anywhere directly, check the log. A simple networking tracker works for recruiter contacts, and our guide on how to track job applications covers the fields to keep.

Working with a recruiter through the interview process#

Once you are in a process, the recruiter becomes your main channel to the company. Use them well.

Before each interview#

Ask your recruiter who you are meeting, what each person will focus on, and what format to expect. Good recruiters will share insights about the hiring manager's style and priorities. Then prepare specific examples for each interviewer's focus. Our interview preparation checklist covers the rest.

After each interview#

Send the recruiter a short debrief the same day: how it went, what you liked, and any concerns. This helps them advocate for you and address issues with the hiring manager before they become reasons to reject you. Send your thank-you notes to interviewers separately.

If the recruiter goes quiet#

Silence is common and usually not personal. Hiring managers get busy, roles go on hold, or the team is interviewing other candidates first. A sensible follow-up rhythm looks like this:

• Wait until the date the recruiter gave you for next steps, plus two business days.
• Send one short, friendly email asking for an update and restating your interest.
• If there is still no reply after another week, send a final note and shift your focus elsewhere.

Keep every follow-up polite. Recruiters handle many roles at once, and the one who went quiet this month may be the one who calls you with the right role next quarter.

Be honest about other offers and processes#

If you have other interviews or offers, tell your recruiter. It can speed things up, and it prevents an awkward situation where you accept elsewhere without warning. Recruiters can often ask a company to accelerate if they know you have a deadline.

Negotiating an offer through a recruiter#

When an offer comes through a recruiter, they usually act as the go-between. That can make negotiation easier, since you are not asking the hiring manager directly.

How to use the recruiter in negotiation#

• Share your priorities clearly: base salary, bonus, equity, start date, remote work, or title.
• Give a specific number and the reasoning behind it, such as market data or a competing offer.
• Ask what is flexible. Recruiters often know which parts of an offer have room and which do not.
• Let them carry the message, but confirm the final terms in writing from the employer.

A salary negotiation script generator can help you prepare your words, and our guide on how to negotiate salary covers research and tactics.

Remember whose interests overlap with yours#

An in-house recruiter wants the hire to happen within the company's budget. An agency recruiter wants the deal to close and benefits a little from a higher salary. Both want you to accept. Be clear, polite, and firm on what matters most to you, and do not be surprised if they push for a quick decision.

Temp, contract, and contract-to-hire through staffing agencies#

Staffing agencies are a different kind of recruiter relationship. Instead of placing you in a permanent role at a client company, they often employ you directly and assign you to clients for a period.

How staffing demand has changed#

Temporary help employment has fallen from its 2022 peak, according to the BLS series for temporary help services employment. Fewer temp roles means agencies can be more selective, so treat them like any other employer: show reliability and the specific skills their clients need.

When staffing work makes sense#

Contract and temp roles can be a smart move if you need income quickly, want to try a new industry, or need recent experience to close a resume gap. The American Staffing Association reports that 64% of staffing employees work in the industry to fill gaps between jobs or to help them land a job.

Turning contract-to-hire into a permanent offer#

Contract-to-hire roles let a company try you out before committing. Treat the contract period as an extended interview. Ask the agency and your manager on day one what success looks like and when the conversion decision will be made. Then check in on progress at the halfway point. If the conversion date passes without a decision, ask your agency recruiter directly what is holding it up.

Before you accept a contract role, ask:

• Is the role temp, contract, or contract-to-hire, and what is the typical conversion rate?
• Who is your employer of record, and what benefits do you get?
• What is the hourly rate, and how does overtime work?
• How long is the assignment, and what happens if it ends early?

Recruiter etiquette: dos and don'ts#

Recruiters remember candidates who were easy to work with, and those who were not. A few habits make a big difference over a career.

Do#

• Reply within a day, even if only to say you need more time.
• Tell recruiters immediately if your situation changes, such as a new offer or a change of heart.
• Show up on time for calls and interviews they arrange.
• Send a short thank-you when a recruiter helps you, whether or not you get the job.
• Stay in touch every six months or so, especially with recruiters in your niche.

Don't#

• Ghost a recruiter after an interview or an offer.
• Exaggerate your experience or salary; it often comes out in reference or background checks.
• Apply directly to a role a recruiter already submitted you for.
• Take a counteroffer without telling the recruiter you were considering it.
• Treat a recruiter rudely because a role was not a fit.

Decline politely when you are not interested#

Most recruiter messages will not be a fit. A short reply keeps the relationship alive for the next opportunity.

Your next steps#

Recruiters can open doors you cannot reach on your own, but only when you are a strong match for what they are filling. The best way to work with them is to be easy to find, clear about what you want, fast to respond, and careful about where your resume goes.

Here is what to do this week:

• Update your LinkedIn headline, title, and skills so recruiters searching for your target role can find you.
• Identify three recruiters who specialize in your field and send each a short, specific message.
• Set up a log for every recruiter submission, and ask each recruiter to confirm before submitting you anywhere.
• Prepare your 30-second introduction and a researched salary range before your next recruiter call.

For the rest of your search, combine recruiters with your own outreach. Our guides on how to network for a job and cold emailing for a job cover the channels recruiters cannot reach for you. If you are searching while employed, read how to job search while employed for how to keep the process confidential.