I got a call from an executive recruiter today. Last week I got a message from this guy rattling off his name and company with the line "just catching up with you," like I knew him. I looked him up online and found out it was a recruiter. Today I answered the phone by accident and he sounded very surprised to reach me. Immediately he launched into his "catching up" bit and said that I wasn't in the company directory and could I give him my direct line. "Well how did you get to me if I'm not listed?" I asked. He said he'd asked the operator to find me and this time asked me for my email. To which I replied, "I don't know who you are." Does this guy think I'm stupid?
Several times a week I get emails from recruiters but they're never offering me a job, they want me to send them names of people. This guy said he had some jobs available and was wondering if I'd give him some recommendations. "I don't have any," I said. It was kind of fun, I have to admit. He stammered a bit and said maybe he could send me an email and I'd think of some people. No, I said, "I don't feel like doing your job for you." Last time I sent a name over to a company, my friend got the job (but isn't happy there), the recruiter got their fee and what do I get? Nothing. It's not like they're offering me a referral fee, they just want to waste my time and make money off of me.
I continued to tell Mark, the recruiter, that I get emails every week from people wanting me to send them people and frankly, I don't have time. I added that most of the people I know work for themselves and aren't interested in a job, which got a little chuckle out of him. I continued, making a joke about I don't know why people think I've got all the connections. But then this was the weird part, he said "it must be because you're a famous actress." Uck, see, this is why I hate all these online profiles. Now I know that he found me on LinkedIn, probably just by doing a search of the big companies, and because he's read my profile, thinks he knows me. I'm going to put a note on my profile that says "Will make referrals for a $1,000 referral fee" and see how many call me then!
2 comments:
Well Linkedin is pretty cool as far as i've come across till now...If you are not interested in getting contacted from any of the recruiting firm, what you can do is not reveal any of your personal details like your phone # or email. Linkedin is supposed to be very professional. Trying making some setting in your profile, will help you for sure.
http://modazzle.com/cms/modazzleLp1.html?channel=CM&camp=LinkedIn
Hmm weird. I get calls from recruiters but only ones who know me and have established a relationship already. And they always offer me a referral fee.
The ones who find me on Linked In never call -- they only email. I guess it's because you are at a big company and they can look up the phone number. That's terrible! I don't mind the emails but I would hate it if people called me. I think the phone is very invasive.
Clearly these recruiters are not very good at their job. Instead of cold calling anonymous people at big companies, they should be taking people out to lunch, going to business networking functions -- in Silicon Valley there are events nightly -- and basically doing whatever they can to build relationships.
My friend Serena is a recruiter. She recently moved to Denver. She is really good at what she does. She knows *everyone*. Anyone you talk to says, "Oh, yeah I know Serena Wolf, she's great." It's because she makes friends with everyone.
And yeah she calls me sometimes and I always try to help her. Because we have a relationship. And I care about her. And yes, she always offers me a cut.
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