Can a search firm recruit a person it placed? (Human Side).(Brief Article)

Plant Engineering, March, 2003 by Dreyfack, Raymond

Fair is fair, Assistant Plant Engineer Edgar Davis decided when tipped off that Arnold Griffen, a top-rated engineer, had been approached by a recruiter from Simmons & Lowe (name disguised), the executive search firm that had placed him 14 months prior. If he read it right, the search firm's action was dirty pool.

Davis asked Griffen what his conversation with the recruiter was all about.

Griffen shrugged. "They want to know if I'm available."

"Did he offer you a job?"

"Not yet. He mentioned that an interesting opportunity might be coming up and said he'd get back to me."

"Did you tell him you're available?"

"Not really. But I told him I'm always ready to listen."