Calls
Anti-Recruiters
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. I stated (which is a company policy, actually) that she has to dial the main number and try her luck with receptionist. 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.
The Calls Of No Return
One of the funny things about recruiters (not those located in India, that's whole another story) is when the number they are calling from is blocked. So he/she calls, but you can't pick up the phone. Maybe you're on another line. Maybe you don't want to break it to your environment that you're looking for a job. Or you just weren't fast enough to dig your phone from the deepness of your pockets or your bag. So recruiter leaves you a voicemail message.
Which gets garbled. Or he/she didn't enounciate enough and their phone number gets mumbled out, and you can't make a number or two in the whole sequence. Or your phone company makes it a half-hour task to retrieve your voicemail (which is a case if you have anything but iPhone).
This is where that caller ID comes in handy. Usually, if I miss someone's call I just double-tap phone button and voila! - I am calling back last incoming number.
Additionally, when I see "Private" or "Unknown" on a caller ID screen, my first thought is that it's that annoying guy from India who's looking for outsourced projects and calls me every week. He doesn't speak English very well, so he doesn't quite get the message of "NO!". It could also be some brave-ass marketeer cold-calling. Or someone who doesn't want me to call him back.
Now, if you are recruiter - why would you hide your phone number? Do you get harrassed? Do you get calls from marketeers or candidates? What's your reasons?
Personally, I don't see any.
You Are Too Smart For Your Market
Today I got yet another call from recruiter. By going throught the regular blah-blah-blah for a hundredth time I can't help but notice the ever-lasting routine. And how any deviation from it throws people off the charts completely.
Now, I'm sure I am not any different from anyone else. It's just that I like to have a few things going on at the same time. For example, I work as a developer for one company and as a web projects manager at my own company, plus I blog heavily that brings some small income too. Question - where do I work? What's the title or the position I hold? What is the amount I am making? Is this per hour? Per month? Per year? Most of the recruiters will stumble and crumble right here.
Being flexible and able to wear multiple hats has never been a bad thing. However, according to many recruiters, it isn't anymore. Many times have I heard that "you can't have two jobs at the same time - it will only confuse your potential employer" or "when will you be able to do your job?" or even "you can't be working at two places at the same time - it's impossible!". Well, sorry to be the one who brings you the bad news, but if you can't do it - doesn't mean nobody can.
I went through this routine with quite a few recruiters and my learnings have been sad so far. Being your salespeople, the recruiters aren't really interested in pitching all your talents. They work off the positions thay receive from employers and invest heavily (in terms of time and efforts) to make sure their submitted candidates fit into the position they want to fill. Which is understandable since it's the employer who is paying them, not the candidate.
The problem with this approach is that it can easily be gamed and not to the recruiter's advantage. I can imagine a creative type putting up a few resumes tailored to different variations of the positions most offered (recruiters would love this), then going to the interview with potential employer and present themselves in their own way. It may not land them the job that's been promised, but it can get them further then recruiter wanted. Additionally, the recruiter himself (or herself) would look like they don't really know the person they're representing. Do this often enough and the word will get out.