Rant/funny story

katierose

Hey guys.

I have just moved to Dallas, TX. I am currently working full time as a Network Administrator for a small college.

Before I landed this job I was actively looking. Usually I see the job, I become interested, I apply. I have NEVER got a phone call from someone who just "saw my resume on monster/dice" and wanted to meet for an interview. This happened to me twice since being here and it has made me want to avoid these kind of situations in the future because of my experience...

So the first time this happens he explains two positions he was hiring for, one being a desktop support role which I explained I would do given the right pay and job duties. Something is off though. He just seems weird. He asks where I live and then says "oh I live farther away at such and such.. I was hoping we could meet for coffee and talk". Like woa dude..this isn't a date. Anyway we scheduled an interview. I looked up the company but couldn't find a job posting for these positions he was describing. I really had no idea what I was getting myself into but I decided to give him a chance.

I get to the interview and the guy proceeds to give me an hour straight of quizzing me on everything possible. Things that were not necessary. For example he asked "Rate your skill of Excel on a scale of 1 to 10, rate your skill of Word.. etc." WHY? I'm not here to make $10 an hour doing data entry. He also quizzed me on how I would do ipconfig. Like, I had to explain in detail that I would click on Start, go to Run, etc. Did he ever look at my resume?!? If he did he wouldn't ask these dumb questions. It was insane.

THEN a couple days later he sends me a message on Linked In telling me he is hiring and interested in seeing my resume. Do you not remember my name already?! Get real. THEN today, 3 weeks after the painful interview, he calls and leaves a voicemail asking for a interview as if we never met before.

I couldn't believe it. I mean.. is he seriously just trying to mess with me? Is this a joke? Has anyone been in a situation like this before? Some people are just super strange and completely unprofessional.

Kaminsky

A lot of eager types that once worked for an employment agency try to set themselves up on their own and scoure boards like monster hoping to meet some eager newbie desperate for their first role. They then either proceed to say they are not good enough and get them to pay for all sorts of training or try to push them through for a job. This is not usually a job where an employer has agreed to let them source a candidate. Just some off the cuff phone call usually trying to blag what they can. They will take a rediculous cut of your hourly rate for doing nothing but introducing you basically. You could easily do what they do for you on your own. Stay clear of these vultures. Unscrouplulous training firms, one man bands and down on their luck recruitment agencies work this way a lot and they love IT people as we are all sandle wearing muppets that believe anything we are told from "someone in the industry".

I made the mistake of using monster once. I am still getting emails years later for "first timer" roles even though I have 20 years in the industry. I had one guy offer me a low level pc support job 200 miles away. Boy did i give him a major rocket. I really let him have it. Never bothered me again.

As you progress upward, you need to be carful how you market yourself or I guarentee you will be inundated by these wannabes all the time. You need to understand that you are becoming a very saleable commodite.