7 Mistakes Job Seekers Make With Agency Recruiters

Third-party recruitment agencies play an important role in fashion industry hiring. They often know about opportunities that are never widely advertised and can get qualified candidates directly in front of hiring managers.

But working with an agency recruiter is different from applying to a company yourself. The recruiter is representing you to their client, and how you handle that relationship can directly affect your chances of getting hired.

Here are some of the biggest mistakes to avoid.

1. Forgetting Who the Recruiter Works For

Agency recruiters want to place you, but in most cases, the employer is their client.

That means their job is not simply to find you employment. Their job is to find candidates who solve a client’s hiring problem.

Treat the recruiter as a professional partner, but don’t expect them to function as your personal career coach or job-search manager.

2. Applying Directly After the Recruiter Submits You

This is a big one.

If a recruiter has already submitted you for a position, don’t turn around and apply directly to the company—or allow another agency to submit you for the same job.

Duplicate submissions can create confusion over candidate ownership and recruiting fees and may cause an employer to simply remove you from consideration.

Always know where your resume is being submitted.

3. Hiding Other Interviews or Offers

Recruiters need to understand where you are in your job search.

If you’re interviewing elsewhere, expecting an offer or working with other recruiters, say so. You don’t need to disclose every detail, but surprises make it much harder for a recruiter to manage the hiring process.

An offer that suddenly appears after weeks of silence can derail an opportunity for everyone.

4. Being Unrealistic About Salary, Location or Flexibility

Know your priorities before talking with an agency.

If you require $150,000, won’t commute outside Manhattan and will only consider three specific brands, tell the recruiter upfront.

Being selective is fine. Changing your requirements after interviews have begun is the problem.

At the same time, don’t automatically reject opportunities because they aren’t exactly what you imagined. Recruiters sometimes see career possibilities that candidates don’t.

5. Misrepresenting Your Experience

Never exaggerate skills, job responsibilities, compensation or employment dates.

Agency recruiters frequently work with the same fashion companies—and sometimes the same hiring managers—for years. Their credibility depends on the candidates they present.

If they discover you’ve misrepresented yourself, you may lose more than one opportunity.

6. Ignoring Recruiter Feedback

One of the advantages of working with an experienced agency recruiter is access to information you normally wouldn’t have.

They may know why your resume isn’t getting traction, what a particular hiring manager dislikes or why your interview didn’t go well.

You don’t have to agree with every recommendation, but don’t dismiss informed feedback simply because you don’t like hearing it.

7. Ghosting the Recruiter

If you’re no longer interested, say so.

Don’t disappear before an interview, stop returning calls after being submitted or accept another job without telling the recruiter.

Fashion is a surprisingly small industry. Recruiters remember candidates who are responsive, professional and reliable—and they also remember those who aren’t.

Make the Relationship Work for You

A good agency recruiter can become a valuable career resource for years, not just for one job search.

Be honest. Communicate. Respect their time. Understand how the process works.

The goal isn’t simply to get a recruiter to submit your resume. It’s to become the kind of candidate they are comfortable recommending again and again.

Looking for a job and need agency representation? Check out ALL of the agency-listed fashion jobs that are on StyleCareers.com currently.