Recruiters Are Used Car Salesmen

For the past couple of years I’ve had my resume out and have occasionally interviewed. The interviews are actually particularly helpful as it gives me a view into what companies are looking for so I can focus on what skills I might need in the event of a lay off.

Of course the recruiters swarm like paparazzi. Virtually none of them have actually read my resume or profile, they just see my name on Linkedin, Dice, Indeed, Monster, or some other site, do a keyword search (sort of), and start spamming me with positions. These positions have little real relevance to my skill set.

They see ‘DevOps’ in my resume and spam me with every available DevOps position from Huntington Beach to the Jersey shore and every possible opportunity between 3 months to hire to 12 months and done.

Hey, I have a 3 month position in New Jersey for $20.00 an hour and a possibility to hire. Call me and we can talk!

Folks, I have a limit of about an hour for one way commuting. This means I’m self limited to these three locations. Telling me about a position that’s 90 minutes away one way or located downtown isn’t going to something I’m going to jump from my current job.

And skills. Windows Administration required. I haven’t done any Windows administration since the early 90’s. It’s not on my resume or profile anywhere.

Don’t worry about the Windows requirement. You can pick it up.

You don’t seem to understand. I’m not interested in learning how to manage Windows servers. I am interested in learning Powershell, looks interesting.

And Amazon Web Services. No AWS on my resume anywhere. Yes, I want to learn some cloud services but my only options are learning at home or getting into a position where I can learn AWS.

Recently I received some 15 different recruiters contacting me for the same position within commuting distance but it was a short term only position with no option to be hired at the end of the contract. My profile does say “Full Time Only”. It must have had a pretty good hiring bonus.

Many of these recruiter queries are obviously form letters. I get the same exact job posting with a slightly off font insertion of the recruiters name and my name.

I’ve had a couple of interviews that were arranged by recruiters. One last year had the gentleman actually meet me for lunch so we could chat. The interview he arranged looked good but fell through. He said he’d contact me again for new positions and I’ve not heard from him since. Another continues to send me positions. When I reply back with my location preference, he says that he just sends out the position to everyone on his list in the hopes something will stick.

I do reply to many of these and get an occasional response thanking me for my reply so there’s someone there.

So yes, recruiters are Used Car Salesmen. Just trying to get you into a position regardless of fitness or need so they can get paid.

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One Response to Recruiters Are Used Car Salesmen

  1. Jim says:

    A friend of mine referred to recruiters as “skin merchants”. Fitting.

    Years – ne, decades ago – I was referred to Perry Nuclear a number of years ago – I was looking for a Sys Admin position. I got there, and had to do the three hour Pradco test to make sure I was not some whack-a-doodle looking to blow the place up. After the three hour test, I sat down and they said “So, you are looking for an entry level computer operator position?” No, I am looking for a Sys Admin job. We shook hands, and I left. It seems the recruiter only matched up “VAX/VMS” from my resume and the open position.

    It bugs me how some recruiters work exclusively with a handful of companies. They won’t discuss salary – take what they offer or move on, since arguing for more money takes time away from doing more sales. Sleazy.

    No love lost here either.

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