nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

why do they think I'm a great fit and how should I reply?

briangl

Just got an email from a staffing company in California for a job in Maryland, 6 month contract to hire. He found my resume online. It is for a senior network admin. The requirements are: 8+ years in Network/Systems Administration..., 4+ years supporting Linux Windows Networks & Systems… and some desired "skills", including CCNA, BS in CS or similar, MAC network/systems experience.

I have no on the job experience, other than doing some cabling and installing switches for about 4 months. There is nothing in my resume to imply that I do. Why did he contact me and say that I would be a "great" fit? How do I answer him? I don’t want to say that I am not qualified, but I want him to know that I do not have that experience.

Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks.

Find more posts tagged with

SAVE $250 on Your Boot Camp — Use Code "EXAM26"

Exclusively for TechExams members for Infosec Boot Camps starting before April 30, 2026

View Boot Camps

Comments

SteveO86

Sounds like a canned recruiter email. They probably got you email from a newletter or linkedin or a previous employment app submission like Dice or something.

Got pick and choice those wisely.

If your interested reply back and ask him if he has something more up your ally. Some recruiters are personnel and easy to get along but they are also like fish in the sea don't think about them for too long.

networker050184

I get crap like that all the time. Developer positions, sys admin positions. It's basically just a blast out to anyone who's resume even remotely fits the job description.

briangl

I guess I will just email him back and ask him why he thinks I would be a great fit. I have had people do this from time to time and when I tell them that I don't have the qualifications and that I am looking for something more entry level they tell me that they "get entry level jobs all the time" and that they will keep me in mind... yeah right. I never hear from them again.

QHalo

Key word searches in your resume is probably why. I mentioned something about SQL in my resume and I get hit up on DBA jobs all the time. Looking at my resume you can clearly see that I've never been a DBA or had the qualifications.

blargoe

I can have my skills specifically laid out and state that I am unwilling to relocate, but I still get those "you are a perfect match for our CCIE job" in California, Israel, Afganistan, Egypt, etc.

boredgamelad

Yep, this is normal and I just ignore these nowadays. Ever since I put the words Check Point and Juniper in my resume, I get e-mails every week saying I'm a perfect fit for their firewall engineer position in some godforsaken state (e.g. Montana).

cruwl

I get emails about once a month from different recruiters for the help desk position I use to have. You can tell they never looked at it cause i had 7.5 years of exp at that job, why would i ever go back for a service desk 1 position. I just ignore them any more and delete them.

Alif_Sadida_Ekin

Currently, we are hiring to replace my previous position at my current company (I was just promoted). I was recently contacted by a recruiter through LinkedIn stating that "I'm a perfect fit for a position she's trying to fill". So, I asked her to email me the job description. She emailed me the exact position I was just promoted from that we're trying to fill...

I emailed her back and told her to really look at my LinkedIn profile... especially the company I work for and the positions I've held there. She never emailed me back.

I should have applied anyway.

PurpleIT

The one and only call I have received (I must be doing something wrong) was for a level 1 desktop support position. I asked the guy if he had seen my resume and he said, "Yes, I see the 7+ years as an IT Manager; very nice". He didn't have an answer though when I asked him why given that experience I would want to move to a L1 desktop support position.

As for the OP's question, I wouldn't necessarily address your shortcomings, talk to the guy and see what he has to say. Say you are excited about the opportunities to work with/learn these devices (that implies you don't know it without saying "I don't know"). If nothing else get some experience talking to recruiters, make a LinkedIn contact and get what you can out of it.

BradleyHU

networker050184 wrote: »

I get crap like that all the time. Developer positions, sys admin positions. It's basically just a blast out to anyone who's resume even remotely fits the job description.

yeah, same here...i get stuff for like iPhone developer, or Android developer....all because i know how to support phone OS's...smh, they dont read your resume at all.

Only time I get a recruiter who reads my resume is when they work for a direct company...i've had that happen to me a few times...and they'll have a position open that i'm looking for, or similar to what i'm currently doing...

About7Narwhal

I get the same batch of emails from the same guy every month: "PhP Developer" or "Network Engineer" which I know less than nothing about. Every month I tell him to pay attention to my qualifications next time... he never does.

They usually send them out based on your location after they are unable to fill the position with a qualified seeker. If you have put your name or number on Monster, Dice, etc etc you can expect emails & calls. Nothing against the sites themselves, but recruiters will compile information from the sites and store it for decades.

Some people ignore the emails or you can do like I do and send back a generic declination email and ask to be kept in the loop for future opportunities. They may be annoying, but they might eventually get you a good job.

petedude

Alif_Sadida_Ekin wrote: »

I should have applied anyway.

Wouldn't that come back and bite you? As in, "look, he's applying to jobs"?

coreyb80

I thought it was just me. Had a guy call me about an opportunity and it was obvious from our convo tht he didn't even bother reading my résumé till we got on the phone.

Alif_Sadida_Ekin

petedude wrote: »

Wouldn't that come back and bite you? As in, "look, he's applying to jobs"?

Nah. I wasn't applying. They contacted me. I told my manager about it and he too thought it would have been funny if I forwarded my resume to the recruiter to see how far through their process I would have gone before they realize what they had done. Too bad I have other things I to do with my time

BTW, we're a fairly small company where everyone knows everyone and the HR director probably would have laughed at it as well.