Why do recruiters hate me so much?
I don't get it. I haven't looked for a new job since January of '06, but I've now gotten calls/emails from three different job recruiters in the past three days. You can read my previous post for the first one, but today I got an email from Michael from Advanced Software Systems Inc. (Assyst Inc) in Sterling, VA about a full-time opening for a Business Analyst in Rockville, MD. In case you didn't know, I'm a Web Developer, and my education and prior job experience have all been in Computer Science. I sent a quick message back asking where he found my email address, and he said he "had it in his database." So I responded:
Thanks for your response. With all due respect, your email was grossly off-target. I don't know what other information you have in your database, but I'm a Web Developer, not a Business Analyst. The skills listed in the job description you sent do not coincide with what I do at all. Also, I've been happily employed at my current position for 2+ years and have no intentions of switching jobs. On top of all that, I live and work in Boston. I'm afraid Rockville, MD would be quite the commute, especially with current gas prices being what they are. Therefore, please remove me from your database. Thank you for your understanding.
Seriously, though. Maryland? For a Business Analyst position? Who the hell is populating this "database"?? So he responded saying he's sorry and blah blah blah. Then only 45 minutes later, I got another email, this one sent to my WORK address, from Peter at HireMinds in Cambridge. At least this guy was from the same freakin' state. He said he spotted my resume this morning and has a terrific Web Development position in Boston. Again, I sent a quick reply asking where he found my resume. He said:
We occasionally have interns research potential candidates and add them to our database--we do this so that we can reach out to a wider pool of candidates when we get a new job in. That is how I came across your contact information. I know that does not answer your question 100%, but if I were to guess I'd say they found you on LinkedIn and filled in the blank with some old fashioned research.
Damnit LinkedIn! Just because people made me sign up and keep adding me as contacts does NOT mean I'm hunting for a new job. So I had to respond to this guy in the same way, also letting him know that that was my work email, and having emails arriving through the company server from job recruiters, whether I’m actively looking for a new job or not, is not the most ideal of situations. Besides, whatever version of my resume he "spotted" this morning is at least 2.5 years old.
I would think that with the current economy, there are plenty of people out there willing to look for new jobs with better pay. Why I keep getting contacted when I'm certainly not looking is just beyond me. I still hate recruiters. You all suck.
UPDATE: It's now Friday, two days later, and I just got TWO MORE emails from Michael from Advanced Software Systems Inc. (Assyst Inc) for another immediate opening for a Business Analyst with DOD Clearance, this time in Herndon, VA. Apparently he didn't actually read the email I sent him on Wednesday, so I had to call him (703-230-3149) and yell at him. I literally did have to yell because he had a thick accent and couldn't understand me because of a "bad connection." I had to repeat my last name five times. Then he went right into a description of the two positions he has open. I had to cut him off and tell him to completely remove all of my information from his database. He says it will be removed today, so we'll see if I get any more emails.
Thanks for your response. With all due respect, your email was grossly off-target. I don't know what other information you have in your database, but I'm a Web Developer, not a Business Analyst. The skills listed in the job description you sent do not coincide with what I do at all. Also, I've been happily employed at my current position for 2+ years and have no intentions of switching jobs. On top of all that, I live and work in Boston. I'm afraid Rockville, MD would be quite the commute, especially with current gas prices being what they are. Therefore, please remove me from your database. Thank you for your understanding.
Seriously, though. Maryland? For a Business Analyst position? Who the hell is populating this "database"?? So he responded saying he's sorry and blah blah blah. Then only 45 minutes later, I got another email, this one sent to my WORK address, from Peter at HireMinds in Cambridge. At least this guy was from the same freakin' state. He said he spotted my resume this morning and has a terrific Web Development position in Boston. Again, I sent a quick reply asking where he found my resume. He said:
We occasionally have interns research potential candidates and add them to our database--we do this so that we can reach out to a wider pool of candidates when we get a new job in. That is how I came across your contact information. I know that does not answer your question 100%, but if I were to guess I'd say they found you on LinkedIn and filled in the blank with some old fashioned research.
Damnit LinkedIn! Just because people made me sign up and keep adding me as contacts does NOT mean I'm hunting for a new job. So I had to respond to this guy in the same way, also letting him know that that was my work email, and having emails arriving through the company server from job recruiters, whether I’m actively looking for a new job or not, is not the most ideal of situations. Besides, whatever version of my resume he "spotted" this morning is at least 2.5 years old.
I would think that with the current economy, there are plenty of people out there willing to look for new jobs with better pay. Why I keep getting contacted when I'm certainly not looking is just beyond me. I still hate recruiters. You all suck.
UPDATE: It's now Friday, two days later, and I just got TWO MORE emails from Michael from Advanced Software Systems Inc. (Assyst Inc) for another immediate opening for a Business Analyst with DOD Clearance, this time in Herndon, VA. Apparently he didn't actually read the email I sent him on Wednesday, so I had to call him (703-230-3149) and yell at him. I literally did have to yell because he had a thick accent and couldn't understand me because of a "bad connection." I had to repeat my last name five times. Then he went right into a description of the two positions he has open. I had to cut him off and tell him to completely remove all of my information from his database. He says it will be removed today, so we'll see if I get any more emails.