What Would You Do? A Questionable Actuarial Recruiter

By John West Hadley

The Stepping Stone, January 2025

Here is our next entry in the “What Would You Do?” series. Write to me at John@JHACareers.com to tell me what you would do. In a future issue, I’ll compile the responses received (preserving your anonymity, of course), along with what actually happened in the real-life situation.

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A Questionable Actuarial Recruiter

John has been building a new actuarial department for his company. From time to time, he gets a call from Bruce, a well-known actuarial recruiter he’s been in touch with since he received his ASA.

John has used Marilyn to recruit several of his current actuaries, and she has always brought him quality candidates. In return for a three-month exclusive, Marilyn gives him 5 points off on the firm’s standard commission.

During one of those exclusive arrangements, Bruce calls him with a possible candidate. John tells him that he has already been presented that candidate. He tells Bruce that if he has any other quality candidates, he’s welcome to talk to Marilyn about a sharing arrangement, as she has said she is open to that.

John has a phone screening with the candidate, and at the end the candidate asks about something Bruce had said. Bruce advised him to be careful what recruiters he deals with, as someone else had shared negative feedback on him with John. John assures him that isn’t true.

The next week, John is at an actuarial club meeting, and runs into a young actuary who asks about the job. John asks how he heard, and is told Bruce said he had an exclusive arrangement on the search.

Quality actuarial candidates can often be hard to find in a competitive market. Bruce has a strong actuarial network; John has known many actuaries who have used him. If you were John, what would you do?

• Confront Bruce?
• Refuse his calls in the future?
• Continue to work with him when he has a good candidate, but be careful to validate anything he tells you?
• Something else?

Statements of fact and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and are not necessarily those of the Society of Actuaries, the newsletter editors, or the respective authors’ employers.

John Hadley was an FSA for many years, and now works with job seekers frustrated with their search. He can be reached at John@JHACareers.com or +1 908-725-2437 or via LinkedIn. Find his free Career Tips newsletter and other resources at www.JHACareers.com.