My crazy (seriously, she is) recruiter story...

colemic

I just got totally lectured by a recruiter for a top 5 defense contracting firm - I had applied for a position posted as such:

*** is seeking a Principal Information System Security Officer (ISSO)...

I had applied for it a few weeks ago, and got an email last week asking me to call ***, a recruiter, today. So, I get up extra early (I am 19 hours ahead of Eastern time zone) and call... she asks a couple of basic, routine questions about my background, certs, etc, then chews me out for applying to jobs that I am not (according to her) qualified for... here's the complete decription:

Principle Duties and Essential Functions
The ISSO is responsible for ensuring the implementation of the Security Program developed by the Information System Security Manager for a particular system or systems.
The primary ISSO responsibilities will include maintaining a system security plan and associated documentation; ensuring the Information System (IS) is operated, used, maintained and disposed of in accordance with security policies and practices; ensuring the IS is certified and accredited; ensuring users and system support personnel have the required security clearances, authorization and need-to-know; that they are indoctrinated and familiar with internal security practices before access to the IS is granted.
Additional responsibilities include ensuring compliance of system users with security policies and safeguards applicable to the IS for which the ISSO is responsible; ensuring audit trails are reviewed periodically (e.g. weekly, daily), and audit records are archived for future reference.
The ISSO is also responsible for initiating and/or implementing risk mitigation countermeasures; reporting security incidents in accordance with FBI and division-specific policy to the Designated Accrediting Authority (DAA) when an IS is compromised; reporting the security status of an IS as required by the designated accrediting authority and evaluating known vulnerabilities to ascertain if additional safeguards are needed.

She then proceeds to 'help' me, by giving me a bizarre analogy about thinking like a recruiter, and what size shoe my niece wears, and what her favorite color is, and what I would look for in a babysitter. (Don't worry, I didn't get it either.)

I did not have a copy of the description in front of me, but I have it here now, and I can tell you that I am feel I am very qualified for this position. She faulted me for not having direct CNA experience... which is listed nowhere in here, and pretty much has nothing at all to do with, nor is it in the same spirit or vein, as the rest of the description.

She then told me that I had been applying for too many jobs and apparently not reading the job descriptions, since in her opinion, I did not meet 85% of the requirements for them. (I have applied for 3 with this company; one was a Senior IA Analyst position that I had an offer letter in-hand for in CO that fell through when they were not awarded the contract.) I had read elsewhere on here that employers usually look for 60% of the qualifications, maybe that's gone up a bit?

Her 'logic' - if it could be called that - was that MY job was to make hers as a recruiter, easier... and to a very limited point, I agree. I should make it easier for the to find me, to get me interviews, to sell myself. But I see MY job as applying for positions that I feel that I can handle, even if I don't meet 85% of the requirements, in the hope that I can get to the hiring manager's desk and sell myself into the position.

What pisses me off, is that from the job description, I can do it hands down, and she told me that it was a dummy position advertised to attract candidates but they don't even have the proposal for the contract yet. WTF??? And I used to work for this company in Germany.

Totally, totally bizarre.

edit - I forgot to add that she said she hadn't reviewed my resume when they flagged me as a match. GRRR. Pot, meet kettle... (except this kettle DID read the effing job description, thank you very much!)

Turgon

colemic wrote: »

I just got totally lectured by a recruiter for a top 5 defense contracting firm - I had applied for a position posted as such:

*** is seeking a Principal Information System Security Officer (ISSO)...

I had applied for it a few weeks ago, and got an email last week asking me to call ***, a recruiter, today. So, I get up extra early (I am 19 hours ahead of Eastern time zone) and call... she asks a couple of basic, routine questions about my background, certs, etc, then chews me out for applying to jobs that I am not (according to her) qualified for... here's the complete decription:

Principle Duties and Essential Functions
The ISSO is responsible for ensuring the implementation of the Security Program developed by the Information System Security Manager for a particular system or systems.
The primary ISSO responsibilities will include maintaining a system security plan and associated documentation; ensuring the Information System (IS) is operated, used, maintained and disposed of in accordance with security policies and practices; ensuring the IS is certified and accredited; ensuring users and system support personnel have the required security clearances, authorization and need-to-know; that they are indoctrinated and familiar with internal security practices before access to the IS is granted.
Additional responsibilities include ensuring compliance of system users with security policies and safeguards applicable to the IS for which the ISSO is responsible; ensuring audit trails are reviewed periodically (e.g. weekly, daily), and audit records are archived for future reference.
The ISSO is also responsible for initiating and/or implementing risk mitigation countermeasures; reporting security incidents in accordance with FBI and division-specific policy to the Designated Accrediting Authority (DAA) when an IS is compromised; reporting the security status of an IS as required by the designated accrediting authority and evaluating known vulnerabilities to ascertain if additional safeguards are needed.

She then proceeds to 'help' me, by giving me a bizarre analogy about thinking like a recruiter, and what size shoe my niece wears, and what her favorite color is, and what I would look for in a babysitter. (Don't worry, I didn't get it either.)

I did not have a copy of the description in front of me, but I have it here now, and I can tell you that I am feel I am very qualified for this position. She faulted me for not having direct CNA experience... which is listed nowhere in here, and pretty much has nothing at all to do with, nor is it in the same spirit or vein, as the rest of the description.

She then told me that I had been applying for too many jobs and apparently not reading the job descriptions, since in her opinion, I did not meet 85% of the requirements for them. (I have applied for 3 with this company; one was a Senior IA Analyst position that I had an offer letter in-hand for in CO that fell through when they were not awarded the contract.) I had read elsewhere on here that employers usually look for 60% of the qualifications, maybe that's gone up a bit?

Her 'logic' - if it could be called that - was that MY job was to make hers as a recruiter, easier... and to a very limited point, I agree. I should make it easier for the to find me, to get me interviews, to sell myself. But I see MY job as applying for positions that I feel that I can handle, even if I don't meet 85% of the requirements, in the hope that I can get to the hiring manager's desk and sell myself into the position.

What pisses me off, is that from the job description, I can do it hands down, and she told me that it was a dummy position advertised to attract candidates but they don't even have the proposal for the contract yet. WTF??? And I used to work for this company in Germany.

Totally, totally bizarre.

edit - I forgot to add that she said she hadn't reviewed my resume when they flagged me as a match. GRRR. Pot, meet kettle... (except this kettle DID read the effing job description, thank you very much!)

You do not have to think like a recruiter. This is nonsense. She is the recruiter not you. That's her job. You do need to think like a security professional because that's what you do. All you can do is try and match your background to the sometimes scarce details on offer in the public domain for these jobs.

There are many dummy positions advertised on the web. Just dont worry about it. When recruiting lays her off she may sell real estate or whatever else she can get to pay the bills. Eventually she may get a break in what she's qualified in..zoology, cinematography..hell even security analyst.

Keep your chin up!

colemic

Thanks, I am not worried just a bit incensed about it, I am thankful that I have a good job here it is just so far from my girl and my family.

It was very weird Not the best way to start the day at 6am.

Note to self - keep a copy of the job description handy when doing phone interviews.

germanji

colemic wrote: »

...Note to self - keep a copy of the job description handy when doing phone interviews.

Good idea. *Makes a note*

[Deleted User]

What a tool. I think I've been blessed to work with some great recruiters. The guys I've worked with were always working with the employer to convince them that I was qualified. I had basically zero IT experience and they helped me land a Help Desk job.

Turgon

colemic wrote: »

Thanks, I am not worried just a bit incensed about it, I am thankful that I have a good job here it is just so far from my girl and my family.

It was very weird Not the best way to start the day at 6am.

Note to self - keep a copy of the job description handy when doing phone interviews.

It is annoying but it is what it is. There are some good recruiters out there and using the online job portals can lead to some good jobs. But there is smoke and mirrors and you can be messed around dreadfully. Ignore and move on.