Tech Recruiters, Don't be Stalkers
So the other day I had a first when an unsolicited tech recruiter obnoxiously harassed me.
To preface this post, I'd like to state that in general I don't have issues with technical recruiters and the work that they do. I've used them several times in the past to find jobs. And while there are certainly ones I like more than others, they do serve their purpose.
Talent is tight in Boston. This town and the surrounding area is seeing a tech boom and while positions are plentiful, top talent is not. I have first hand knowledge on this from a couple of viewpoints. First of all, we have spent the past few months at MediaSilo looking for a good senior level UI developer. We interviewed quite a few people and too often found they were lacking the skills we needed. The recruiters we employed had an equally tough time finding qualified candidates to send to us.
The other reason I know about the demand for talent, is the sheer number of emails and calls I get from recruiters on a near daily basis. Sometimes we even joke at the office about who gets the most inquiries on average. It can be annoying sometimes, but I understand that they are simply doing their job by both reaching out to people and by searching for referrals. I also understand that by having a public profile on LinkedIn I am inviting their advances to a certain extent.
Thankfully for the most part, the calls and emails have been respectful. I typically don't respond, because I'm not looking and don't usually have the time to engage them. Sometimes they'll call a second time, or just follow up with an email. But two days ago I was approached by a guy who was a bit more persistent. Here's the timeline:
Tuesday afternoon - 4:50pm, 4:50pm, 4:51pm, 4:56pm - 4 calls back to back after each I did not answer.
Wednesday Morning - 9:53am, 9:58am, 9:59am - 3 more back to back calls, unanswered.
Wednesday Morning - 10:33am - I accidentally started a call back while unlocking my phone, which was immediately terminated
Wednesday Morning - 10:35am, 10:35am, 10:36am - 3 more back to back calls, I didn't answer (Stupid, I know)
Wednesday Morning - 10:37am - Finally I answered
So I finally had enough, and answered the call. "Hey, I'm sorry about all the calls. I just really wanted to get in touch with you". Yeah, no shit. He then continued with typically rhetoric "Are you looking?", "No, I'm set", "Well let me ask you a question, do you get a lot of calls from recruiters?". Wow, this guy is really giving me the third degree sales pitch. Did Comcast open a recruiting branch?
It then continued on with, "Well let me ask you this, what is it you like so much about MediaSilo?". And "If you were to lose your job tomorrow, wouldn't you like to have a relationship established with a Boston area recruiter?". This went on for some time and there was some other crap as well. I tried to be patient and polite, but he wasn't taking no for an answer. I finally had to said thanks, but no thanks and hang up on him.
I fully expect a follow up call or seven at a later on. Surely he wouldn't give up so easily right?
So yes, recruiters, I do heart you and your services. You've helped on numerous occasions. But please, don't call me, I'll call you. K? Thanks.
