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Home > Archive > Certifications and IT jobs/Salaries > September 2004 > The truth about recruiters (aka headhunters)
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The truth about recruiters (aka headhunters)
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| I found this CareerJournal article reposted on the website of a local TV station. Now, mind you, these are EXECUTIVES complaining not techies, for whom current employment prospects are even WORSE. I really don't think these HR people understand how RUDE they are. Personally, when I'm shopping and see a product made by a company that didn't even have the courtesy to send a form reply to my job inquiry, I buy one of their competitor's products instead. 
http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=1485048
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"One would expect the basic courtesy of a reply," he says. "But it's like a black hole. It's disappointing that the most nominal of efforts aren't made."
"I'm more than qualified for several positions that they have posted, but I've yet to receive a response," he says. "It seems like a black hole."
"It's rare we fill a job from the database," says Mr. Hoffman of DHR. "It's occasional, but not often."
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| jennie313 2004-07-12, 10:48 am |
| Thanks for the article. It explains so much, really. I'm definitely going to have to reengineer my job search process.  | |
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| Monster.com has a poll running right now and the question is "do you think the job market is improving?" 66% responded no and only 33% yes. Dice.com ran a similar poll a few weeks ago with similar results. For more empirical evidence, I recently posted my resume (again) on Monster and it received a whopping 8 views in one week, compared to over 100 views in a single week before the dot-com bubble burst. I have to wonder if department of labor statistics have any basis in reality. They keep saying things are getting better and workers keep saying things are getting worse. Jobless claims are down; sure, because benefits have run out and people are giving up on finding work. Job creation by the U.S. economy is up; sure, and most of those jobs are going to foreign workers, many who we import on H1B visas.
In any case, seems the only way to land an IT job right now is to know someone who can help you get a foot in the door. Sending resumes to recruiters is a complete waste of time. | |
| sandy7000 2004-07-27, 10:47 pm |
| Monster.com has done some huge ad campaigns the past year. They probably have a ton more resumes than they used to as a result. | |
| wayne62682 2004-07-29, 9:22 am |
| According to the career resource officer at my college, Monster is nothing but a "storehouse for resumes" and practically worthless to the jobseeker. | |
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| I have gotten 75% of my jobs from online places like monster, computerjobs, dice, etc... I dont think that its hopeless in the IT job market. Is it a little scary? yeah definetly. But I subscribe to the theory that you have to stand out amongst the pack to get the job. Technically we are at war with each other. I dont wish any physical harm on wayne62682 but if were on the same interview I will do what I can to convince the company that I'm the one they want. Say that wayne62682 does the same thing that I do and a manager gets both our identical resume's but wayne62682's resume has a certification that i dont, then he should rightfully get the job. Now, I can either sit in a pool of self pity or I can get off my @ss and do something about it. Either get a matching cert as wayne62682, or maybe go back to school for a masters, or open my own buisness on elance.com . Alot of people will come at you with 'well i dont have the money to do that, what then?'. Well sell some stuff on ebay, or get a loan, or a second job. If you do nothing today, you've already lost tomorrow. I hate the thought of having a BS in comp sci and having to take a second job to pay for my master's degree, but its not going to last forever. | |
| lseals 2004-08-28, 10:13 pm |
| Excellent post and attitude, you will eventually go far. Good luck kj2w | |
| sandy7000 2004-08-28, 10:56 pm |
| I prefer a pool of self pity...people don't expect too much out of you in there. | |
| hard2hold 2004-09-05, 2:23 am |
| quote:
Originally posted by wayne62682
According to the career resource officer at my college, Monster is nothing but a "storehouse for resumes" and practically worthless to the jobseeker.
Your "career resource officer" gets paid entirely too much for his/her duties. I would ignore anything that this person says & do your own research. My career counselor told me in college in 1988 that Microsoft would never get off the ground & laughed at the idea of computers. He is probably retired & pulling a pension but that doesn't escape the fact that he was a short-sided fool who lived in a bubble who gave poor advice to ignorant kids. Monster has been invaluable in my job-search but only after I learned to use it to my advantage. One thing I have done while looking is to update & refresh my resume on a daily basis. Recruiters get a list of applicants when they search & mine comes to the top of their list because I refreshed. I no longer use Monster in that capacity as I already have a job. :-)
...And just so we're clear - Recruiters are nothing but pimps. Greedy leaches with no more interest in your livelyhood than what they can rake in for their own. I view used car salesmen and funeral directors with more regard. That being said, they are unfortunately, sometimes a necessity. Use them if you really need to to get a gig but make no bones about it, it is you who are being used. | |
| wayne62682 2004-09-05, 10:38 am |
| Oh I never said I agreed with her (my college's resource officer). Personally, I like Monster (CareerBuilder too). Her usual response to me saying that though is "How many jobs has it gotten you?" to which I normally reply "How many jobs have YOU gotten me?" |
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