As you may have guessed – given the current economy situation – there aren’t that many recruiters calling. Well, not quite so. They call me to place other candidates, even though I have nothing to do with HR or hiring – I don’t even participate in the interviews.
So what’s the story?
The company I work for just happen to have couple of IT positions open. My resume indicates that I work for said company. The rest is simple – they call me to get around of HR and to get the direct line of hiring manager.
This morning I got a call from one of such recruiters. She stated that one of her colleagues spoke with me couple of days ago. Wrong move, I don’t like when conversation starts with a blatant outright lie. Then lady proceeded to how we’re hiring an Oracle DBA (we don’t) and she wants to speak to my manager (she can’t). In my response I stated that she has to dial the main number and try her luck with receptionist (which is a company policy, actually). The lady on the phone persisted. I declined to talk about anything – again, citing company’s policy. Recruiter on the phone kept going on and on how she’s not going to disclose my name to my manager – as if he couldn’t hear me from two cubicles behind.
After she went on her fifth attempt to extort my manager’s phone number I hung up on that pushy and arrogant person.
Now, here comes a bit of double-standards. If I was that candidate, I’d like that my recruiter would knock on every door as many times as possible to get me a job. However, being already at work, the last thing I need is my manager listening to the conversation with recruiter over my shoulder. Especially if I am busy breaking company’s policy.
Obviously, the recruiter couldn’t care less about me. Even worse, it is in her interest that I would get into trouble – so she could place another of her candidates into my place and make more money. Nothing personal, strictly business. Considering that – I am definitely not cooperating. Again – it’s nothing personal. Strictly business
#1 by John P - March 27th, 2009 at 14:48
So this agency has your resume and thus your name and phone number because your looking for a job. So you must have spoken to someone at the agency. So they call you to to find out the name of your manager so they can present candidates to a position they believe is open, you say not but perhaps they have info. you don’t. I have worked as a recruiter for many years. Calling HR or the switchboard is a waste of time, both are dead ends. What does it hurt you to whisper the name of your boss to the agency to help them & another candidate? We always remember those people who helps us & we try 10 times as hard to find them a job. We also remember those people who stone-wall us. Now that agency will mark you as uncooperative and you won’t be their 1st choice when a job becomes available. I deal primarily with VP’s, COO’s, CFO’s and CEO’s. They are all very friendly and helpful when I call them. The reason is that one day they will want my help and they want to keep in my good books.
#2 by Rater - March 27th, 2009 at 15:28
John,
thanks again for replying. Obviously, if that agency is the only game in town I am willing to go an extra mile. However, if it’s just one of the many agencies in NYC – I don’t think I should. So, they marked me as uncooperative – not a big deal. So far plenty of agencies who by all means should have marked me as such have called me again and again. On the other hand, many friendly recruiters haven’t found me a single interview – makes me think twice before cooperating.
And besides – I don’t want to loose my job for being nice. Being nice isn’t a salaried position anyway.