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[Number_27]

I'd be interested in hearing about experiences with patent attorney recruiters.  I will be available for an IP position on June 1, Sept 1 at the latest and have received several solicitations from various headhunters.  If anyone can recommend a firm with which they have had positive experiences please do so.  If you feel more comfortable communicating your experiences to me in a private message that is fine as well.  I guess I am concerned that by working through a recruiter I might limit my ability to submit resumes on my own, or cause some finder fee dispute with a headhunter if I do submit my credentials to a firm that a recruiter has also contacted.

My background:  I am currently working part-time and attending IP LLM program full time (substantially complete with course work by June 1, can probably finish course work if necessary by Sept 1).  I worked in the IP area as an attorney for a little over a year in 2000-2001 and graduated with honors from a respected state law school.  I have a BSEE (middling grades), 14 years practicing EE with supervisory experience (utility real time metering and controls, lots of hands-on with sensors, computers, RDBMS, networking, communications, electro-mechanical devices large and small), P.E. license, MBA and have worked for last 9 years utility policy/regulatory work at Manager level (continuing part time while in LLM).  I recently passed the USPTO exam and am now in the process of registering as a patent attorney.

I am interested in relocating to So Cal, will consider Bay area, Rocky Mountains (avid skier), or upstate NY or New England.  Thanks in advance for any help.

[Isaac]

I guess I am concerned that by working through a recruiter I might limit my ability to submit resumes on my own, or cause some finder fee dispute with a headhunter if I do submit my credentials to a firm that a recruiter has also contacted.

You can avoid this particular problem by finding a minimally reputable recruiter.  No recruiters I've encountered will send your application to anyone without your ok, and none of them want to provoke a fee dispute situation.  You do have to keep track of who you and/or your recruiter has sent your credentials to and when.   Just keep a log.

[Physgeek]

I am working with a headhunter. He got me an interview for a sweet job, but the firm unfortunately didn't want me.

Call up one of the headhunters, and ask them how the system works. As Isaac said, you will know who they send your resume to. You should never, ever send your resume a single employer from multiple avenues.

Overall, headhunters are good. But they are just one way of finding job opportunities. My biggest insight is that to a headhunter, I am not a unique snowflake. I am their product. They sell employees to employers. I just got contacted by another headhunter in a different city, and I may be working with him for out-of-state opportunities. But only if he likes my credentials and thinks I am worth putting out for sale.

[Physgeek]

A good article I read this morning:

http://www.smartmoney.com/personal-finance/employment/10-things-employment-recruiters-wont-say/