I have seen several people changing jobs with a recruiter lately. It’s common knowledge that transitioning between jobs can be stressful, and poor recruiters can exacerbate this stress. I’m sure many of us have received calls, voicemails, or emails about the next “great opportunity” because our resumes contained the right keywords.
When you return their call, perhaps feeling desperate or a bit masochistic, the recruiter begin to demand information. Often, they haven’t even read your resume. Liz Ryan CEO/founder of Human Workplace, author of Reinvention Roadmap, and a blogger at Forbes offers some advice on how to handle poor recruiters in her article, Ten Things Recruiters ‘Need To Know’ — That Are None Of Their Business.
Some recruiters are amazing
Ms. Ryan points out the obvious, that some recruiters are amazing partners who can assist you in landing a new job when you’re ready. A good recruiter will ask pertinent questions and keep you updated on the status of your application. Unfortunately though, it is very easy for almost anyone to become a recruiter. This is why there are so many unprofessional, rude, and pushy ones out there, and you need to be prepared to deal with them.
It’s important to communicate to a recruiter when they’re asking you to do or say something with which you’re not comfortable with. One of the first signs that you’re dealing with a rude and unprofessional recruiter may appear in your initial phone call or email conversation.
The unprofessional recruiter
Unprofessional recruiters will ask questions — like the ones below that are none of their business whatsoever. They might ask intrusive questions and insist, “I need to have this information.” They may even become irritable with you.
If a recruiter tells you, “You must answer my questions, or I’ll remove you from my candidate list,” you should respond with, “Go ahead and drop me!” and then end the call. They don’t truly “need” your answers; they just want them desperately so they can control the conversation. Ms. Ryan provides some potential responses to the most inappropriate questions from poor recruiters.
How to respond to bad recruiter questions
- Bad Recruiter: What is your current salary?
- You: If I decide to change jobs, I’ll be targeting a position that pays around $75,000.
- Bad Recruiter: What other companies are you interviewing with?
- You: I’m actively job-hunting, but as you can understand, my job search activities are confidential, just like the identities of the other candidates being interviewed for this job.
- Bad Recruiter: Can you provide proof of your last year’s earnings?
- You: If your client requires written proof of my compensation then they are not the right employer for me.
- Bad Recruiter: Can you send me your list of references immediately?
- You: I can provide that when an employer has expressed strong interest in me, and I have reciprocated that interest, further down the line.
- Bad Recruiter: I must ask all my questions first. Then, I can listen to your questions.
- You: Recruiters should respect your time. Selling candidates on job opportunities, and selling employers on candidates, requires listening. Any recruiter who insists that their questions must be answered before the candidate gets to ask any questions is not competent.
More bad recruiter questions
- Bad Recruiter: What’s the lowest salary you would accept?
- You: I’m targeting $75,000 in this job search.
- Bad Recruiter: What makes you an exceptional candidate?
- You: You reached out to me based on my LinkedIn profile, correct? What aspects of my profile piqued your interest?
Bad Recruiter: What did your manager say about your performance on your most recent performance review?- You: If you have concerns about my qualifications or competence, there’s no point in continuing this conversation. If you believe I’m a suitable candidate for a job opportunity you’re working on, please share the details with me.
- Bad Recruiter: What size pay raise did you receive last year?
- You: I’m targeting jobs in the $75,000 range. Does this job offer a salary close to that number?
- Bad Recruiter: Are you considered a top performer in your current job?
- You: I haven’t heard enough about the opportunity you contacted me about to determine whether it makes sense for us to continue our conversation. Could you please provide more details about that position now?
- Bad Recruiter: Don’t call me or email me to ask for status updates during your interview process. If I have any news from the client, I’ll let you know.
- You: Run away! A good sales person should keep you updated, no matter what is happening or not happening. A Recruiter should have good follow-through and build relationships to get feedback from their clients who are interviewing one of their candidates.
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Don’t be afraid to walk away from a bad recruiter interaction. Remember, it’s your career, and you deserve to be treated with respect. By learning to identify red flags and advocate for yourself, you can navigate the job search with confidence.
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Ralph Bach has been in IT for a while and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow me on Facebook. Email the Bach Seat here.