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Technical recruiters find that some candidates will make some desperate moves to ensure they land IT jobs.  Sometimes this means being a bit too pushy and overbearing in the interview.  Sometimes this means trying to reach out directly to the hiring manager too much after the interview.  Probably the worst mistake you can make when working with IT staffing agencies, though, is to apply for the same jobs both with them and on your own.

Why would applying to the same job twice be a bad thing?  Isn’t it just showing extra motivation and ensuring that you do the most comprehensive, best job search that you can?  The truth is, when you apply for the same job both with IT recruiters and on your own, you usually wind up taking yourself out of the running for a job completely.  Most hiring managers will actually nullify an application that comes from both IT staffing agencies and directly from the candidate.  The reason they do this is that generally these candidates become too complicated to consider hiring from a legal standpoint.  Since most employers have plenty of candidates to look at for the jobs in IT they’re trying to fill—ones that don’t come with legal complications—they’ll simply skip over your resume and move on to the others.

There’s also another reason this tactic is a bad idea: it reflects poorly on you as a professional.  When you work with IT recruiting firms, you make a commitment to follow certain professional norms.  Your IT staffing companies will handle certain elements of the hiring process (like negotiating salary, scheduling the interview, and getting your resume in front of the hiring manager).  You will handle the interview, writing a thank you note, etc.  When you apply to the same job on your own after IT staffing companies submit you, you’re  not showing extra initiative.  You’re showing a few negative qualities as a candidate.  You’ll show an inability to follow directions, an inability to follow professional norms, and you’ll be creating extra work for the hiring manager.  (Most hiring managers barely have time to read a resume once—never mind twice!)    No hiring manager is pleased when you try to jump the line or do things against their usual hiring process.  So when you apply to a job both with your IT recruiters and on your own, you’re not increasing your chances of landing the job.  Truthfully, you’re hurting your chances– if not taking yourself out of the running entirely.