Xref: utzoo misc.jobs.misc:2066 ont.jobs:402
Path: utzoo!yunexus!geac!daveb
From: daveb@geac.UUCP (David Collier-Brown)
Newsgroups: misc.jobs.misc,ont.jobs
Subject: Headhunter Tactics
Message-ID: <3195@geac.UUCP>
Date: 2 Sep 88 12:57:01 GMT
Article-I.D.: geac.3195
Organization: GEAC Computers, Toronto, CANADA
Lines: 47


  I have a cautionary tale for the net, and a question.

  In my recent job-hunt, I dealt with a somewhat "excitable"
recruiter, who sent me off to interview with a small spin-off
company in the city.  Like many, he wanted me to call him
**imediately** after the interview ended...
  I, on the other hand, like to think a lot about interviews before
deciding what really happened, and had been bothered by this
"premature evaluation" scenario before.  So I didn't.

  Before going in to the second interview with the same company, he
assured me that my concerns about the job's risks would be addressed
by the company in that interview, and that he wanted me to come to
his office to sign a letter of acceptance following the interview.
  So off I go to the interview, and they talk a lot, and the jobs
sounds really quite good... or so I thought.  I get on the subway
and start off for the recruiter... and then think I should at least
talk it over with a friend, if not wait til the evening and discuss
it with my wife.
  The friend points out that the employer **really** didn't respond
to my concerns, they just stroked me. I start telling him about the
other subjects discussed (a co-worker had also interviewed there)
and he exploded! "They thought XXXX **WASN'T** a good systems
administrator? That's trivially false, and he does too understand
what's in an inode. They're lying, and your headhunter is trying to
get you to sign real quick before you notice!"

 I didn't accept the position.

1) Caution: watch out for headhunters who want you to act fast.
	They're trying to get a first impression, true, but they
	also want to catch you on an "up" and reinforce it. Possibly
	to your detriment.
2) Question: what other unethical techniques can people on the net
	report, for all our sakes.

--dave (now even more paranoid) c-b

ps: I'm not going to mention the recruiter's name on the net, but if
    you're in Toronto and worried that you might be dealing with him,
    you can send me mail and I'll tell you if you've got the same
    person.
-- 
 David Collier-Brown.  | yunexus!lethe!dave
 78 Hillcrest Ave,.    | He's so smart he's dumb.
 Willowdale, Ontario.  |        --Joyce C-B