Questions for headhunters/recruiters

[intellectsucks]

A headhunter just contacted me about a really amazing opportunity-great position, great salary, great company, great benefits, etc.  The downside is that it's for a company I previously worked for and was fired from. I was fired for being late too many times.  This was over a decade ago and my work habits have improved about a thousand times since then.  Here are my questions:

1. Is the headhunter obligated to tell the company about this if I tell her about it?
2. What's the best way to address this during the interview/hiring process? My resume shows that I worked there previously so I can't ignore it.

Thanks in advance for your help and advice.

[Linea_Norway]

A headhunter just contacted me about a really amazing opportunity-great position, great salary, great company, great benefits, etc.  The downside is that it's for a company I previously worked for and was fired from. I was fired for being late too many times.  This was over a decade ago and my work habits have improved about a thousand times since then.  Here are my questions:

1. Is the headhunter obligated to tell the company about this if I tell her about it?
2. What's the best way to address this during the interview/hiring process? My resume shows that I worked there previously so I can't ignore it.

Thanks in advance for your help and advice.

My experience with headhunters is that they only do the pre interview. In the end, the company also wants to interview you and they decide. The headhunter is just extra overhead and one of 2 more interviews.

You being fired from that company in the past is the elephant in the room. Better address it actively yourself than waiting for them to mention it and you being defensive. They will mention it, you can count on that.

What I was thinking, do you really need the head hunter for this? Can you find the job in any job searching system? Do you still know people in that company, anyone that appreciated how you worked? Maybe you could contact them directly, instead of talking through the head hunter?

[soccerluvof4]

^ agree. I would try and find away to get in front of this and see if you can apply with the company direct as opposed to with the headhunter. Good to companies website and see if the job is posted.. Now a days most companies are doing that and all these head hunters and recruiters are just taking the information and putting it on there sites etc...

[DaMa]

I'd be completely up-front with this with the recruiter and interviewers.  You don't want to waste their or your time.  The company could have you marked as do not rehire.

[Kay-Ell]

You could always call the company directly and ask about your rehire eligibility. It should be in your file.

[Imma]

^ agree. I would try and find away to get in front of this and see if you can apply with the company direct as opposed to with the headhunter. Good to companies website and see if the job is posted.. Now a days most companies are doing that and all these head hunters and recruiters are just taking the information and putting it on there sites etc...

This is not my experience at all. At least in my field, companies don't want to waste their time going through God knows how many applications, so they hire a headhunter (for $$$) to find them one suitable candidate. I was hired an hour after the first interview, because I made a good impression and the headhunter had already interviewed me first, called all my references, collected copies of my diploma and my transcript of records and had me take a knowledge test related to my field. I don't think we ever list any jobs on our website except for the most basic warehouse jobs. Most people are hired through temp agencies, headhunters or the employees' network (every now and then HR will send us a list of vacancies and ask if we know a suiteable candidate).

If I were you I would try to find out if the headhunter is approaching the company with you as their candidate, or if they were actually hired by the company itself. In the latter case the company isn't even allowed to work with you directly and contacting them directly would give a bad impression. Most companies keep very detailed rehire / do not rehire records. If you're on the blacklist, you're not going to get hired again and you don't have to waste anyone's time.

[trollwithamustache]

I'm gonna take a more ballsy approach.  You can tell the recruiter you left there, imply not the best circumstances and decline to go into details. 

The recruiter has probably already submitted your name, and they OK'ed it. So its not your fault if some HR flunky didn't check a black list. (which, I do not believe the majority of USA based companies are organized enough to keep, some may, but not many)

A decade is a long time. Is this a family run firm and Uncle Pete still in charge? They will remember. or is this a tech company and everyone has turned over 3 times?  I'd say go for the interview and see whats up.  Worst case, nothing comes of it and you keep chugging at your current job. 

[intellectsucks]

Thanks for the replies guys. A lot to think about.

Assuming that I decide to address it with the company head on, should I call or email them prior to my interview next week?

I sort of agree with Trollwithamustache that they're unlikely to have accurate records from that time (especially considering they closed down the territory that I worked in shortly after I was fired), so I'm hesitant to bring up something that they might never be aware of otherwise.

[Unique User]

I'd address it with the headhunter/recruiter.  Going direct after they informed you of the job and interviewed you is going to irritate them.  If they have a good relationship with the firm, they can sink your chances if you go around them.  I would not address it directly yourself with the firm, they found you, let them address it.  Tell them the whole story, I am willing to bet they will be able to spin it better than you can.  They might not keep detailed records, my company does not have detailed records, with some it is just my remembering the name and searching my inbox. 

[SKL-HOU]

If the headhunter asks, just tell him it wasn't the best circumstances but don't give him the details like someone else suggested. If he doesn't ask, don't offer it. I wouldn't give the headhunter the details regardless. Once you are in front of the company (through headhunter, do not go around him), if asked, be truthful but try to focus on your positive impact to the company in the past and how you have changed this habit of being late.

[birdiegirl]

Definitely tell the recruiter before the interview.  You don't have to get into a lot of details, just answer whatever questions they ask.  You need to let them get in front of this.  They will decide how to spin it to the company. It was a long time ago, so if they like you as a candidate it may not an issue.  But if you don't address it and it comes up in a background check that could look like you were hiding it and could kill your chances. 

[intellectsucks]

Update, had an interview prep call with headhunter and told her that I was previously fired and why. She told me that the company prescreens info for candidates and will not set up interviews with candidates that are in their records as unhirable.

Her advice is to not bring it up during the interview but to be straight forward with the interviewer about what happened (fired for repeated lateness, otherwise stellar performance, over a decade of excellent work history and habits since then).

I'll update again after the interview. Wish me luck!!

[Linea_Norway]

Good luck to you.

[intellectsucks]

Update: had the interview at 1pm today, got an offer at 3pm. Interviewer never even brought it up.  $20k more salary per year with much higher bonus potential.  FIRE is that much closer!!!

[rivendale]

Awesome work!