For Candidates
Questions, answered without the sales pitch.
If something is not covered here, ask. We would rather answer a direct question directly than have you guess.
Does submitting my information mean I am applying for a job?
No. It tells us who you are and what you are looking for, so that we have a foundation when something relevant comes up. If you want to be considered for a specific role that is currently open, apply to it directly from the Open Jobs page.
Will I hear back?
If your background lines up with a current or upcoming search, yes. We will not promise a response to every submission, because that is a promise we could not keep — and we would rather be straight with you than leave you checking your inbox. Nothing about a non-response is a judgment on your background.
Will my current employer find out?
Not from us. Your information is not shared with any employer without your knowledge and permission, and we ask before every submission. If you are exploring quietly, say so and it will be handled that way. We use commercially reasonable measures to protect what you share; what we will not do is guarantee absolute confidentiality, because nobody can.
Do you charge candidates anything?
No. Never, for anything. Our fees are paid by the companies that engage us. Any recruiter who asks a candidate for money is not doing this job.
What do you actually do with my résumé?
It is reviewed and kept on file so we can consider you for relevant searches. It is not sold, not shared with third parties, and not sent to an employer without your permission. Our Privacy Policy sets out how long information is retained and how to ask us to remove it.
I do not fit any of your open roles. Is it still worth submitting?
Often, yes. Some searches are never posted publicly, and a meaningful share of what we work on is confidential. Knowing what you are looking for before something appears is more useful than finding you after it does.
My background is not a straight line. Does that hurt me?
Not with us, and this is close to the reason the firm exists. The strongest candidate is not always the most obvious one. A résumé is evidence of what someone has been responsible for — it is not a conclusion about what they can do next. What matters is whether the capability maps to what the role has to accomplish.
Will you tell me if I am not right for something?
Yes, and we will tell you why. An honest no is worth more to your career than an enthusiastic maybe, and it takes less of your time.
Can you tell me what the role pays before I interview?
Wherever we know, yes, and we will tell you early rather than at the end. If a range has not been established, we will say that too instead of guessing.
What if I am not ready to move yet?
That is a normal answer and a useful one. Tell us the timing. Plenty of the best conversations start eighteen months before anything happens, and there is no cost to being on our radar early.
Do you work outside Richmond?
Richmond is where the firm is rooted, but location is a parameter of a search rather than a boundary around the practice. If the right role for you is elsewhere, that does not rule anything out.
How do I update or remove my information?
Email us and we will update or delete it. You do not need to give a reason. See the Privacy Policy for the detail.
Still have a question?
Email us directly, or tell us what you are looking for and we will take it from there.