An annoying Recruiter

November 24, 2012

Just like many people, I get many emails a week from recruiters asking whether I’m interested. Almost always, I just ignore them. It doesn’t bother me too much; it gives me some feeling of how the market is doing, and unlike others, I have met several recruiters that were useful.

But today, I received an email I just had to reply to:

Hi Abigail
Would you be interested in a new perl opportunity at the moment?

Sent from my iPhone

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This annoyed me enough to write a reply. The website revealed the head of the department of the recruiter, so I Cc-ed him as well. This is my reply:

Xxxxx,

Really, is this the best you can do? A one-liner send from your *phone*,
not counting the disclaimer that's four times as large as the content?

Please don't contact me again. If your opening statement is just a one
liner, with no specifics at all, I've no interested business doing with
you; not now, and not in the future.
 
I've never heard of your company before; I don't know what it does, 
what it sells, or in which markets it operates. I've no idea what
"perl opportunity" you're trying to pitch (and, as such, it's a strange
notion anyway -- would you approach people in the constructing business,
not knowing whether they are a carpenter or an architect, asking whether  
they are interested in a "hammer opportunity"?). In fact, your message  
doesn't even mention which country this "opportunity" is supposed to
take place in.
 
Now, I did go to your website, and I still don't know what your company
does. There are a lot of hollow phrases and buzzwords, but little content.
You appear to be a consultancy company that thinks they're making 
a difference, but that's what they all think. Been there, done that,   
encountered many of them, and haven't been impressed a single time. Maybe
it's buried somewhere deep in your website, but I didn't find anything   
on where in the industry you're placing your employees. Why aren't you
proudly displaying your satisfied customers? What makes you think I'd be
even remotely interested if there isn't anything concrete?

From your pictures I gather you do value name tags and the guys and girls
serving drinks though, perhaps that's the difference you're making.
 
Regards,
 
Abigail