I wish recruiters could harass me with job offers... some have it all :)
Haha one day they will and you'll understand how big of a problem this has become :) good luck!
Ask HN: Dontrecruit.me – A website to collect stories about bad recruiters
11–20 of 147 posts
Re: Ask HN: Dontrecruit.me – A website to collect stories about bad recruiters
#12Why do recruiters insist on phone calls for everything? Why can't they just send an email? I can't get on the phone while I'm at my job to talk to you about some other job.
Most recruitment agencies have hard targets for number of phone calls made per day. "It's a numbers game" is a default, golden rule at every cookie cutter agency out there.
Re: Ask HN: Dontrecruit.me – A website to collect stories about bad recruiters
#13Why do recruiters insist on phone calls for everything? Why can't they just send an email? I can't get on the phone while I'm at my job to talk to you about some other job.
It's as bad if not worse if you have decision-making power at a place which is hiring and therefore are a client or potential client. For example, I (reluctantly) agreed to have coffee with a recruiter next week. I'm not looking for a job - he wants to be put on our preferred supplier list. So now he sends me an email - he wants to have a quick catch up call before we meet for coffee.
Since I think having coffee with him is a total waste of my time, how do I even begin to think about a pre-call for the coffee?
Re: Ask HN: Dontrecruit.me – A website to collect stories about bad recruiters
#14I am green to working with recruiters. What should I watch for? I already do not like the experience but I don't know if that's a problem with me or them.
Re: Ask HN: Dontrecruit.me – A website to collect stories about bad recruiters
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's a signal that you're serious.
Recruiters - not candidates - are the ones who blast poorly targeted spam. They should show us the money first, not the other way around.
That wasn't a defense. Sorry if that was unclear: it's like sending ridiculous scams to weed out the not gullible ones.
If you reply by phone it means you actually want a job.
Re: Ask HN: Dontrecruit.me – A website to collect stories about bad recruiters
#16Another frustrating tactic they have started to use is bait positions with attractive "specifications". They use these to draw you into communicating with them and start offering subpar positions than those initially mentioned in the first communication. The classic bait and switch.
I'm fed up getting messages on LinkedIn along the lines of:
Hi LeBowen You are exactly what TheWorldsBestCompany are looking for, is it OK for us to have a phone call to discuss?
Of course when you try to obtain any information about the position, you're met with vague details about it, but they have this other position you might be interested in.
Re: Ask HN: Dontrecruit.me – A website to collect stories about bad recruiters
#17Why do recruiters insist on phone calls for everything? Why can't they just send an email? I can't get on the phone while I'm at my job to talk to you about some other job.
It's as bad if not worse if you have decision-making power at a place which is hiring and therefore are a client or potential client. For example, I (reluctantly) agreed to have coffee with a recruiter next week. I'm not looking for a job - he wants to be put on our preferred supplier list. So now he sends me an email - he wants to have a quick catch up call before we meet for coffee. Since I think having coffee with…
Do the call, cover the topics, say "I guess we don't need to meet now."
Saying no is hard but we all need to learn to do it. If you're not interested, just say so.
Re: Ask HN: Dontrecruit.me – A website to collect stories about bad recruiters
#18I wish recruiters could harass me with job offers... some have it all :)
Well, until I updated my LinkedIn with 'not interested in a new job', I was receiving one or two offer per week. It can sooth the ego, but the messages were nearly always bad: rarely targeted to my skills, no mention of salary/benefits and no clear position offered.
Re: Ask HN: Dontrecruit.me – A website to collect stories about bad recruiters
#19Why do recruiters insist on phone calls for everything? Why can't they just send an email? I can't get on the phone while I'm at my job to talk to you about some other job.
It's as bad if not worse if you have decision-making power at a place which is hiring and therefore are a client or potential client. For example, I (reluctantly) agreed to have coffee with a recruiter next week. I'm not looking for a job - he wants to be put on our preferred supplier list. So now he sends me an email - he wants to have a quick catch up call before we meet for coffee. Since I think having coffee with…
Say 'no'
Re: Ask HN: Dontrecruit.me – A website to collect stories about bad recruiters
#20I particularly love recruiters who insist that you send them a resume in MS Word format, so that they can remove your contact details and stick their agency's ugly letterhead on top (or "improve" your resume for you if they're particularly unethical).
"I'll need your resume in Word Format."
"I can give you a PDF"
"Give me the original in Word Format."
"There is no original in Word Format, I wrote my resume in LaTeX. Besides, why do you need to be able to edit my resume?"
And... ghosted.