Eight signs you should skip the job interview: the recruiter edition
How recruiters find you
When I coach my clients or present at live workshops, I encourage people to post their best ‘general’ resume on main job sites such as Indeed, Monster, Careerbuilder, etc. Because of this action, Monster matched me to a job I never would have found on my own, and I never would have thought I was qualified for. But because Monster, a computer algorithm, matched me to the job, I applied. After several interviews, I got the job and began working on a research study at UCLA’s department of pediatrics. It ended up being one of the best career decisions I have ever made. The only reason I left the job is because the study ended.
The downside of posting your resume and making it public is you will receive attention from recruiters. Lots of them. I know many recruiters, and most of them are decent people, but some only care about one thing: their commission. That’s right. Most recruiters work on a commission.
When I was a recruiter
I was once hired as a healthcare recruiter. When I left for my lunch break on the first day, I never went back! It wasn’t because I wasn’t successful. In fact, in four hours, I was getting people on the phone and initiating relationships. My new boss was impressed and praised me in front of the other new hire, who hadn’t spoken to anyone all morning. I left because I hated the high-stress, uber-competitive environment that pitted coworkers against each other. I knew if I didn’t like the job on day one, I was never going to like the job.
The funny thing is … even though I walked out, they asked me to return. They asked how they could make me more comfortable. They asked how they could improve their work environment to my satisfaction. Sounds like a sweet deal, right? Nope. Their wooing wasn’t going to change how the pay was structured: commission. Plus incredible pressure to perform including working over 10 hours per day and in constant competition with your coworkers.
A cloud of distrust hungover that office. I felt it from the moment I arrived for my first interview. Looking back, I never should have taken the job because being a recruiter isn’t easy. When a recruiter contacts you, keep in mind, he is just doing his job. But do avoid the sleazy ones and do avoid the scams.
Here are eight signs you should skip the job interview
The recruiter calls you and denies being a recruiter. Under most circumstances, a recruiter makes money when you get the job (remember it’s about their commission) so it’s a win-win. However, I know there are some scenarios where recruiters are paid if you show up to the interview. When I briefly worked as a secretary in a sales office the summer after graduating from high school, one of my jobs was to screen applicants who responded to the company’s classified ads for “Sales Reps Needed.” For every applicant who showed up for an interview, I received a small bump in my hourly wage (with a maximum of $7 per hour). It didn’t seem strange at the time but looking back, I feel icky about it.
The recruiter cannot explain why you were matched to the job, even when you say you have no prior experience in that particular field. He just keeps insisting the company wants “to bring you in” (i.e., he gets paid if you show up for the interview).
The recruiter cannot or will not tell you how he found your resume. (See my email below.) A legitimate recruiter always knows where he found you because tracking information is important for his success. Knowing where to find the best applicants is part of his job.
The recruiter doesn’t know much about the company so he gives you its website address. You research and find either the website doesn’t exist, doesn’t have helpful information, or the company doesn’t seem to be hiring.
The recruiter cannot give you a start date because the “location is new.” Run. As fast as you can.
The recruiter tells you to wear business attire. If a recruiter needs to tell you how to dress for a job interview (in a corporate environment), doesn’t it make you wonder how many other people have shown up inappropriately dressed before? Most likely, the interview is a ‘cattle call’ with dozens of people in what may be group interviews. Skip it.
The recruiter emails you with a generic job description (see the winners below) that does not fit your experience in any way, shape, or form. If his email address isn’t from a company, he isn’t legitimate. Mark as spam and move on.
The recruiter texts you to invite you to a Google Hangout interview without explaining anything about the job. Sometimes, you may receive an email with the same Google Hangout invitation. I got multiple emails from different people from the same company inviting me to interview for different jobs via Google Hangout. Initially, the emails seemed somewhat legitimate because the company exists and the emails appeared to come from the company. But the moment I began asking questions, the emails and invitations stopped.
Telltale signs of a recruiter include
Eagerness
Enthusiasm
Pushiness
Limited knowledge (sometimes) about position/company
Loyalty: they will always return your phone calls!
What you should do when a legitimate recruiter reaches out to you
Respond to his email/call as soon as possible.
Ask how he found your resume. (This information will tell you where your resume is working for you and how well he does his job.)
Ask about the company, the job, the salary, etc. He may not have all the answers, but he should know most of them.
If you are not a good fit for the position, still reply to the email and explain why.
For example, you could write, “Dear Joe, I feel I’m not the best fit for this position because it requires seven years of X experience and I only have two. A better position for me would be X. (Then describe your ideal job to him.) However, I would be happy to share the post on my social media channels if that would help you.”
Recruiters will remember you if you respond to their emails. They will add whatever information you give them to your profile, and they will appreciate the offer to share the job.
Form relationships with good recruiters. Stay in touch. If you see a job and know their firm is handling the search, email the recruiter you know and tell him HOW you are a good match and want to be considered for a position.
Though economic times are tough and jobs seem scarce, remember your time is valuable. Don’t waste it pursuing/interviewing for a job that:
May not be a real job,
May be below or beyond your skillset,
May not be what you were told it was,
May not start for months,
May be boring, low-paying, and/or cause you to be surrounded by poorly dressed idiots for 40+ hours a week.
Hang in there. The right or almost right job will come along. With or without a recruiter.
For a list of the best recruiters, go to Top 100 Recruiters and Headhunters 2016. Though these firms are not listed, I had positive experiences with CyberCoders (tech, IT, & social media) and Onward Search. My executive clients like TheLadders.
Tell me about your experience with recruiters in the comments. I would love to hear them!
P.S. Previously posted on my former blog Pondering happiness, hope, and wisdom on August 25, 2011, but updated to reflect current trends.
