Recruiters 4

Ah, recruiters—really, the one fixed point in a changing age. I had encounters with three of them late last week that reinforce my query: how is it that they stay employed?

The first, from CyberCoders, a tech job shop I’ve dealt with marginally before, popped up on the email account that appears on my résumé, chirping that she has a product manager position for a client in San Mateo & would like to know my interest.

Actually, here’s exactly what she said: “I am a recruiter here at CyberCoders who specializes in finding Product Manager candidates as well as similar positions in San Mateo, CA and other locations nationwide.

“I thought you may be interested in hearing more about the job below. Please check out the link and apply if you are interested in hearing more about the job. :)”

The job description in her email looked fine—the usual requirements for web apps PMs. But when I went to her site I saw that the position is slotted an entry-level salary. Out of courtesy I replied that the pay was lower than I’ll accept, but asked her to keep me in mind for other positions.

Her response: “Thank you for your response. It’s possible that I have an older version of your resume.”

Uh, no “older version” of my CV would indicate that I live in the Bay Area & I thus wouldn't have popped up on her database search, so she was either trying to snow me or she hadn’t bothered to read beyond the words “product” & “manager” on it.

Turns out it was probably the latter, as the next day, sent to the email account I use on Dice.com, I got this:

“As you may already know, I am a recruiter who specializes in finding Product Manager candidates as well as similar positions in San Mateo, CA and other locations nationwide.

“Your background may be a fit for the position below. Please check out the link and apply if you are interested in hearing more about the job.”

Now, my name is somewhat distinctive, so I find it hard to imagine that even a recruiter didn’t catch the same name on her two sources. Which leads me to believe that she really didn’t read anything on my CV besides “product” & “manager”. If she read anything—it may just be her key word search algorithm just kicks out the CV & she queues up the auto email.

Second bizarrity was someone claiming to be an executive recruiter, based in New York state. Here’s his email: “I tried calling but the number is disconnected.

“You had sent me a resume in March. I am working on a new search for a Director of Product Management in New Jersey. Are you still interested in hearing about opportunities?”

I replied that since I’ve moved from Seattle to the Bay Area, the number I had in March was indeed disconnected. But if he’d send me the JD I’d see if it was something I wanted to discuss.

He sent it to me, but added, “At this point the client is only considering people who live in Northern New Jersey or the Metro NYC area.

“Might you know someone?”

Well, since my previous location was also across the continent from his client, you have to wonder why he contacted me at all.

Except that he wanted the referral.

Finally, a job shop I’ve spoken with a few times since getting here—they claim to represent a lot of clients, but all they ever send me is contract work for PayPal & eBay. Yet another position has come up, would I be interested?

It’s product marketing, so, yes. But first I had to jump through hoops—send over “bullet points” on how my experience matches the requirements not stated in the JD. I did, but then got calls from the recruiter & the account manager asking if I was okay with them sending the bullets to the client, or did I want to change anything?

Uh, no—I wrote them specifically for the client…

Well, as to rate—the AM hasn’t worked with this group yet, but typically they pay less for marketing than for “the other positions we’ve discussed”.

Since we’ve “discussed” product management, project management, program management & marketing positions—& each one for a lower rate than the last—I didn’t know what to say. This company is really big on demanding all sorts of experience & senior capabilities (their descriptions often enjoin the candidate to “own” the product), but don’t seem to want to either hire someone permanently to do a job that’s by definition ongoing (& not project-based), or pay rates commensurate with the capabilities.

So, I’m not holding out any hopes for any of these, & all I can do is appreciate the amusement value of the high-tech pimp industry.