Confidentiality when recruiting?

This is a bit of a specific situation that I’d like some advice on. I’m a first year associate at a PE fund (been here for 6-7 months now) in a mid-sized market and got a ping from a recruiter about a fund I’m really interested in. 
 

The problem is, an MD from my current firm lateraled over there around the time I joined and he’s still close to the people I work with now so I’m worried that something will slip or it will be a bad look if he sees my resume come across his desk. It’s also a small market in general relative to NYC so everyone knows everyone. I like my current gig enough that I don’t want to jeopardize it by having someone say something but I think the new one could be even more compelling. Any thoughts on how to approach this? 

3 Comments
 
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If you know him, or know anything about his reputation, and he's a cool guy I'd probably go directly to him. As soon as anyone knows where you work, he will be the first person they ask (to see if he can get a reference on you), so you want to get ahead of it. You can be direct about the HH reaching out, or you can frame it more as understanding why he left while you consider your longer term plans, but either way will want to speak directly to him and appeal to his "humanity" that you obviously aren't trying to jeopardize your current gig - if he's got the EQ of a mosquito he will know not to blow your cover. Investors are deal makers, they understand the importance of not being a dick (in theory) and thinking longer term about relationship capital. 

Curious if others disagree, maybe isn't one size fits all.

 

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