can you go around the headhunters?

I read that post the other day that said MF pays headhunters 30% of your salary for "sourcing". From what I understand the headhunters aren't even the ones interviewing you - they just do some preliminary screening and put you into the process run by the firm itself. 

Can you just go around the headhunters? Reach out directly to team members and express interest? Or reach out directly to HR? From my point of view, this is a benefit to the firm because if they hire you they don't have to pay and they also don't have to rely on the hEaDhUntErS. 

Anyone have experience with this for Oncycle? 

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Worth clarifying that a headhunter's fee isn't subtracted from your salary, it's just calculated using it (you lose nothing). 

A bad HH will scrape your CV and send it to every fund on the street, and then be pretty hands-off throughout. A good HH will discuss what you're looking for, how that matches what they have available, and manage you & the fund throughout the process - including in preparing you for interview. HH's only make money if you get a job, and the more you make the more they make, so it's not really something worth "going around", usually.

 

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