I want to share some of my experiences with recruiters from other states have contacted me about training and writing gigs at huge companies like Google, JLL and United Airlines after finding my resume on job boards.
Here’s their process: They had me rush to send my resume, and then asked me to sign a right to represent agreement. When you sign these forms, you’re agreeing to work with them exclusively on this position. So, you can’t work with other staffing agencies on the same position, no matter how many of them call you.
As you know, the job search process itself is emotional. But recruiters contribute to my job search frustration by playing with my emotions. Here are my tales of recruiter blues. (Harmonica please)
Recruiter Blues
Lack of Communication
Weeks past and you don’t hear back from these people after you rush to send them your resume and other requested documents. With the initial phone calls, you’re excited about the prospect of getting new opportunities with companies that are hard to get into. That adrenaline dwindles each day you wait in anticipation to hear from someone who gave the perception that they were going to help you get a position.
They may call you if the client wants additional information. For instance, I had to take a writing test for Google. After I submitted those docs, not.a.word.
I know you’re thinking, “Well, why didn’t you follow up?” I did, by email and phone. And recruiters always say that they are waiting to hear back from the client. And while they’re waiting, you’re waiting…and waiting…and waiting…and nothing.
Can you feel my frustration? They could at least email me to let me know what’s happening. Was my resume sent to the client? Did they even look at it? What’s the status of the position? These questions always linger in my mind because recruiters just leave me hanging.
Shady Recruiter
After a couple weeks of silence from the recruiter that called me about the position at United, I emailed him and never received a response. Then, I called the number that was in the emails he sent me. Do you know he answered the phone and told me that I had the wrong number?
Ridiculously Low Pay
Many of the positions for which I’m called are low in pay when you evaluate the company, industry and state. When I ask for higher rates, recruiters will say, “That’s all the company will pay,” putting the low rate on the client. In reality, that’s how much the agency is willing to pay. Everything is negotiable, and from my experience, the agencies that called me were unwilling to bend.
A recruiter called me about a software training position at a prominent hospital in Chicago. If you’ve been watching and reading any form of media, you know that the health care industry is huge and is continuing to grow. Also, this is one of the best hospitals in the world.
They offered a training rate as you learned the software. This is cool, considering you’re being paid to learn.
However, the rate they quoted for the actual training was ridiculously low. They are paying 20-something dollars to train hospital staff on a software in Chicago. Read the bold text: train, hospital, software, Chicago. That rate is at least $15 short for this type of position. More blues, less green.
Right Opportunities, Wrong States
One day I got a call from recruiters for training positions in California and New York on the same day! In Cali, they needed people to train engineers on a medical device. The position in Manhattan was for a social media trainer. I would have enjoyed both those opportunities. I did let them know that I would relocate for the positions if they needed additional assistance and contributed to the expense.
Write First….
A recruiter contacted me about a writing position on LinkedIn. I was on board until they told me to allocate two hours to take a writing test before I found out the type of writing opportunities they had available. I am not opposed to taking the test, however, I will not give my time and talents before knowing the type of position and the rate of pay.
These experiences with recruiters only added to my job search frustration. Check out the other articles in the Frustrated Job Seekers Series: Cover Letter Frustration, Top 3 Resume Frustrations and Applicant Tracking Systems Frustrations.
What About You?
What has been your experience with recruiters? Please share the good, the bad and the ugly in the comment box below.
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