Recruiters that waste your time

What's up with this? I have not had to interview a whole lot over the years, but I would say that at least 50% of the internal recruiters for companies I have spoken with have been huge time wasters.

I've found it very common that they will plan a time to speak with you and not even call or will call 30+ minutes late.

Recently, I had a recruiter seek me out based on my resume. She missed our first AND second phone appointment. The third lasted all of two minutes after she asked me my desired salary range.

After hearing what I wanted, she quickly told me that the position she is recruiting for is new-grad/entry level and only pays half of what I'm currently making. Conversation ended shortly after that.

Really? She sought me out based on my resume and somehow confused 8 years experience and a senior engineering title for new grad?

Sorry to rant. I'm just finding it hard to wrap my mind around these time wasting situations.

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Comments

ratbuddy

I think we should start a "Yelp for job recruiters" type of site. It would probably be huge.

gncsmith

Agreed!

Not to mention, a plethora of spam emails like this:

Your resume has been reviewed on ___ so matson navigation inc company has decided to give you a chance to proceed to the next employment process, you have been considered and scheduled for an online interview to discuss more about the position offered. You are required to set up a yahoo mail (www.google.com) and download yahoo messenger (http://messenger.yahoo.com). After this process, you are to add Ms Name Removed Yahoo IM, her yahoo ID is (somedumdass297) to your yahoo buddy list ASAP for the job briefing and comprehensive details.She will be online waiting to talk to you ASAP. If you have any problem in setting up the Yahoo messenger icon you can email her on (somedumbass297@spammer.com) I wish you the best of luck!

Interview Venue: Online Via Yahoo Instant Messenger

cyberguypr

Recruiter lingo translation:
- "based on your impressive resume" = my super vague keyword is somewhere in your profile
- "fast paced environment" = you'll be overworked and treated like a slave
- "salary commensurate with experience" = we'll low ball you
- "salary depends on experience” = we'll still low ball you
- "our sourcing team passed me your name" = I know how to search LinkedIn
- "unique opportunity blending X, Y, and Z" = you'll be doing the job of 3 employees for a single salary
- "this is an entry level job" = tons of skill required but pays peanuts
- "we'll let you know either way by X date" = HAHA, got you!

iBrokeIT

Just like there are good IT Professionals and bad IT Professionals, there are good and bad recruiters. After you deal with enough of them you learn to sniff out the bad ones rather quickly and maintain a professional relationship with the good ones.

VinnyCisco

ratbuddy wrote: »

I think we should start a "Yelp for job recruiters" type of site. It would probably be huge.

They sort of have this already. Website is called Glassdoor. It is where you review companies you have worked for and also lets you review interviews as well. You can try looking up the recruiting company in question and see if they exist there. Then post a review about the interview.

Not totally a site for reviewing recruiters, but close enough for now.

I have used Glassdoor in the past to see what employees are saying about a company i want to apply for. You would be surprised what they say there.

RHEL

VinnyCisco wrote: »

They sort of have this already. Website is called Glassdoor. It is where you review companies you have worked for and also lets you review interviews as well. You can try looking up the recruiting company in question and see if they exist there. Then post a review about the interview.

Not totally a site for reviewing recruiters, but close enough for now.

I have used Glassdoor in the past to see what employees are saying about a company i want to apply for. You would be surprised what they say there.

I don't mind name dropping, I've had bad experiences with Epic, Cerner, Mozilla, Google and Rackspace.

Mozilla was the worst. Recruiter missed 2 interviews was late 1, VP blew me off at the last minute when I switched plans to chat with him during my vacation.

Typically high regarded companies, even on Glassdoor...

Dojiscalper

Sounds pretty typical and I LOL'd at the lingo list. I've met a few recruiters who've been very good at keep coming back to me with potential jobs. The rest have been crap, not doing what they say, etc.

fmitawaps

One thing I don't want to read in a job ad is "fast paced environment". I don't go to work to WORK, I go there to get MONEY!!!

And I certainly don't want to be running my butt off 8 hours a day if I can find a job where I can come in late, take a long lunch, and leave early, do a little work during the day, and still get my 40 hour check. Yes, I have had desktop support jobs like that.

Lexluethar

I cannot agree more. Although I've only had a few recruiters flake out on me for phone interviews MOST (i'm talking probably 95% of them) are clueless when it comes to the IT field and want to fit you in positions you are either very overqualified for or very underqualified. I've honestly in my 8 years in IT have only had two or three job offers that actually were good fits with skill and experience. Two of those were direct hires from the actual companies recruiters and not a 3rd party.

Its an unfortunate reality in IT, but my 8 years have left a really bad taste in my mouth. They treat you like a number and don't give two craps if the job you take is actually a good fit.

Fayz

Less than a handful or recruiters are reliable. I dealt with so many of them and they waste my time. There was 1 who said he was going to a site to shake hands etc and talk to them to see if he can get an interview. I didn't hear back from him. The next time he called he left a voicemail saying that there's positions coming his way and wants to talk about them. I said to myself what about the one we talked about before. From there on out I decided to apply directly to companies.

yellowpad

one left me a voicemail and never hang up.............the conversation after were disturbing that involved calling the applicant an idiot and more......to include racial comments.

si20

As some of you will know, i've just managed to get a new job, but I was looking for almost 2 years for a role (whilst working). I've probably, in all seriousness, spoken to around 50 recruiters in that time. It's always the same thing:

"Hi <name>, hope you're having a fantastic morning!"
this is to make them appear friendly and not the slime balls they are

"I've found a fantastic role that looks like it will suit you perfectly"
Emphasis on fantastic. I'll be the person that decides if it's going to suit me perfectly, thankyou!

"What's your current salary?"
This is their attempt to low-ball you. Remember, they work for their own self-interest.

"Ok, i'll be in touch"
Sometimes they end the call immediately after hearing what you want, even if you want a reasonable figure which isn't shooting too high.

Other times, i'd mentioned salary and said i'd be looking for something in that region but i'm not keen on the job they've called about. More often than not, they say

"Well i'll put your CV in anyway and try and set up a call with the client"
Wait a minute.... #1 i'm not interested and #2 Who is the client?! There's too much damn secrecy. I'm not ok with you submitting my CV to a company I don't know the name of, who I haven't had time to research!

But hey. That's just my experience

Kreken

Did she say where she got you resume from? Sometimes their version is a bit dated if for example it is from their internal db.

I never respond to recruiters who don't have my name in the beginning and just mass mail hoping to harvest resumes. I also don't respond to recruiters with Indian names.

JockVSJock

I would love to have $1 every time there is a thread "IT recruiters are a waste of time" on this site.

Recruiters don't care about you or your career.

Stop wasting your time.

ThomasITguy

Robert Half is the worst. Then they spam your email with mess and really don't try to find you a job. I really avoid careerbuilder that is where the recruiters farm for applicants and send out mass spam emails hoping you will respond.

thomas_

My favorite email from a recruiter to date:

Hi,

This is "Indian Recruiter" from "company name". I got your resume on a Job Board and interested to find out whether you are available to take a new project through "company name" with fortune 100 clients. If you are interested please send me your word format of your updated resume and provide us your convenient time and best contact number to discuss in detail. Also, I would appreciate if you can answer the following questions as they would assist us in prospecting your candidacy against the open positions with us.
To know more about "company" please visit us on "company website"

• First Name:
• Last Name:
• Work Authorization:
• Current Address:
• Relocation (Y/N):
• Skype ID:
• Availability for interview:
• Expected Pay Rate:
• Availability to start this project
• Any other interviews in the pipeline:
• Any other offers in the pipeline:

Things I like the most about this email:

-Job board: there is only one place with my email listed on my resume. You might as well just dtate the name, but it was probably a copy/paste automated email anyways.
-resume in word format: probably so he can falsify certain sections of it and plaster his company's logo all over it
-current address: ummm, no way I'm giving you that
-offers in pipeline: not telling you that either.

BradleyHU

i despise working with recruiters most of the time...there's only 4 individuals that I can say are pretty decent...everyone else is turrble!

ThomasITguy

I don't like when they ask about "other offers in the pipeline" or "are you interviewing anywhere else right now" I read on a job board that they ask you those questions to see if they can contact the companies you are applying and interviewing at to see if said company can allow them to recruit for them...

ThomasITguy

JockVSJock wrote: »

I would love to have $1 every time there is a thread "IT recruiters are a waste of time" on this site.

Recruiters don't care about you or your career.

Stop wasting your time.

I could not agree more. I have never gotten a job working with a recruiter. I have gotten a job from applying on comapny websites and craigslist, monster, dice, etc... Stay away from careerbuilder... that is the recruiters breeding ground.

kiki162

Can we talk about the crappy job that some of these "job" websites do not to weed out recruiters from actual employers. Lets take indeed for example. They can do a better job of filtering the "Full Time", "Contract", and "Part Time" filters. I'm sure that other websites don't do a good job filtering out the junk as well.

I got a job once from a recruiter, and have been on several interviews from recruiting companies. The job I got through a recruiter lasted 10 months, because they placed me into a job that they shouldn't have in the first place. Regardless it was a learning experience, and something that I teach others to completely avoid.

ThomasITguy

kiki162 wrote: »

Can we talk about the crappy job that some of these "job" websites do not to weed out recruiters from actual employers. Lets take indeed for example. They can do a better job of filtering the "Full Time", "Contract", and "Part Time" filters. I'm sure that other websites don't do a good job filtering out the junk as well.

I got a job once from a recruiter, and have been on several interviews from recruiting companies. The job I got through a recruiter lasted 10 months, because they placed me into a job that they shouldn't have in the first place. Regardless it was a learning experience, and something that I teach others to completely avoid.

I agree. I tell people to avoid recruiters. They are not there to get you a job. They do not care about you or your career goals. They just want to headhunt and use you to see if they can contact other companies and recruit for them.

ratbuddy

Whoa whoa whoa, let's not paint them all with the same brush.

I got my first development job a month out of WGU from a cold call by a good recruiter. He made his money and I got a great position.

ThomasITguy

I usually get the calls like "Hello my name is and im from (insert recruiting company here) I found your resume on careerbuilder and I have some great opportunities that I would like to discuss with you. Give me a call when you get a chance....

Then when I would call them.... It was them determining if they wanted to put me in for the position based on how I responded to them. When you apply for a job on websites you usually get sent to a recruiter first unless you apply directly on the company website or through craigslist.

ThomasITguy

ratbuddy wrote: »

Whoa whoa whoa, let's not paint them all with the same brush.

I got my first development job a month out of WGU from a cold call by a good recruiter. He made his money and I got a great position.

Not all recruiters are bad... But some times its better to go to the source rather then dealing with a agency.

Danielm7

ratbuddy wrote: »

Whoa whoa whoa, let's not paint them all with the same brush.

I got my first development job a month out of WGU from a cold call by a good recruiter. He made his money and I got a great position.

It's true, the good ones are very good. I have one that I actually trust, the others, not so much.

JockVSJock

ThomasITguy wrote: »

I could not agree more. I have never gotten a job working with a recruiter. I have gotten a job from applying on comapny websites and craigslist, monster, dice, etc... Stay away from careerbuilder... that is the recruiters breeding ground.

Exactly.

Any contact I get via Linkedin, I mark as spam. I mark all emails as spam and never return any phone calls. I know all they are trying to do is make a daily contact quota.

I'm immune to the lies and bs.

I don't need a recruiter to find a job.

Insight Global has to be the worst that has contacted me. The recruiter did everything to belittle me and tell me that I was only experienced for the help desk.

Tek Systems calls and the person tells me they have all of these "big things in the pipe." Six months later it will be someone else calling me from Tek Systems telling me the same thing.

Robert Half, what a joke.

ThomasITguy

JockVSJock wrote: »

Exactly.

Any contact I get via Linkedin, I mark as spam. I mark all emails as spam and never return any phone calls. I know all they are trying to do is make a daily contact quota.

I'm immune to the lies and bs.

I don't need a recruiter to find a job.

Insight Global has to be the worst that has contacted me. The recruiter did everything to belittle me and tell me that I was only experienced for the help desk.

Tek Systems calls and the person tells me they have all of these "big things in the pipe." Six months later it will be someone else calling me from Tek Systems telling me the same thing.

Robert Half, what a joke.

Insight Global is a joke....

I hated that they want to have you come to their office and meet with them for 20 mins just for them to put you in for a job.... For what! when I asked them why the rep responded "well we want to make sure you can dress well, and can speak well, and prep you for the interview." Ummm that is what skype is for.

Tek systems I got a call from them about 2 jobs they claimed I was a perfect fit for... then I never heard from them again.

To get a good IT job... its better to go straight to the source... apply on company sites, use craigslist, use networking, and find out the company that the recruiter is recruiting FOR and apply with that company directly!

ThomasITguy

JockVSJock wrote: »

Exactly.

Any contact I get via Linkedin, I mark as spam. I mark all emails as spam and never return any phone calls. I know all they are trying to do is make a daily contact quota.

I'm immune to the lies and bs.

I don't need a recruiter to find a job.

Insight Global has to be the worst that has contacted me. The recruiter did everything to belittle me and tell me that I was only experienced for the help desk.

Tek Systems calls and the person tells me they have all of these "big things in the pipe." Six months later it will be someone else calling me from Tek Systems telling me the same thing.

Robert Half, what a joke.

Im glad you mentioned linkedin. I had recruiters try to add me on linkedin after we talked on the phone.... or one tried to add me after she told me "right now we dont have any opportunities but I will add you on linkedin and contact you if we have any opportunities in the future"

LinkedIn request denied.

JockVSJock

ThomasITguy wrote: »

Insight Global is a joke....

I hated that they want to have you come to their office and meet with them for 20 mins just for them to put you in for a job.... For what! when I asked them why the rep responded "well we want to make sure you can dress well, and can speak well, and prep you for the interview." Ummm that is what skype is for.

I'll never fall for that again. That is a complete waste of time. If they try to pull that on me, I tell them "let's do lunch first and then go to your office."

They never respond.

ThomasITguy

JockVSJock wrote: »

I'll never fall for that again. That is a complete waste of time. If they try to pull that on me, I tell them "let's do lunch first and then go to your office."

They never respond.

exactly.

funny story....

I had a female recruiter that would spam my personal email with job offers so I emailed her back and said

"I gave it some thought and I really want to get to know you as a person, you seem nice and maybe we can do lunch and then talk about some positions"

I never heard from her again.... but she was cute though.