Friday, January 18, 2008

Be Conscious When The Phone Rings

I was calling a job hunter this week for a relationship manager role (with this client, it is a sales role for farming existing clients for new business) with a client. I introduced myself, confirmed that it was a convenient time (it was).

I described the job I was recruiting for to which he had forwarded his resume and started to ask a few warm up questions like "Why are you trying to make a change" and "Tell me about the work you've been doing," when I had to stop and ask myself, "Did I wake this man because he is dead and its almost noon."

His voice showed no life; he answered questions sloppily.

I asked him point blank whether I had interrupted him from something else (it wouldn't be the first time I interrupted someone doing some "personal" [wink. wink}).

"No, I've been up for hours, he told me.

I paused and decided to be helpful, explaining how I was disappointed in his presentation; that for someone with his experience I was expecting a lot more of him than what he gave me.

Then he said those immortal words, "Well, you're only the recruiter," and explained that he didn't think he had to sell to me.

So, in a polite manner, I explained that I was there to evaluate and assess people for my client and not "flip resumes like the staff does with burgers at a fast restaurant." I wished him well and left.

So, the moral to this story is take no one for granted when you are looking for work. Although I believe that many skilled professionals will be safe during the 2007-2008 recession (yes, I believe it has already started), many people won't be and shouldn't cavalierly come to interviews unprepared.

Jeff Altman

The Big Game Hunter
 Concepts in Staffing
thebiggamehunter@cisny.com

© 2008 all rights reserved.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter, is Managing Director with Concepts in Staffing, a New York search firm, He has successfully assisted many corporations identify management leaders and staff in many disciplines since 1971. He is a retired certified leader of the ManKind Project, a not for profit organization that assists men with life issues, and a practicing psychotherapist.

To receive a daily digest of positions emailed to you, search for openings that The Big Game Hunter is working on, to use Jeff’s free job lead search engine, Job Search Universe, to subscribe to Jeff’s free job hunting ezine, “Head Hunt Your Next Job, or his staffing ezine, “Natural Selection”, or to learn about his VIP program, go to www.jeffaltman.com.

Explore some of The Big Game Hunter's products in "The Universe" series

Plus

Posted by
Labels: ,