what do I do about this unresponsive recruiter?
March 8, 2018 9:01 AM Subscribe
I am working with a recruiter on a contract job. They have gone MIA several times. I really want this job and I feel I'm close to it, or would be if he weren't such an unresponsive [expletive]. What can I do, if anything? Timeline inside
Jan 10 - Recruiter from XYZ Staffing saw my resume somewhere and cold-calls me about a one year contract job at BigCorp
Jan 17 - I have a phone interview with hiring manager from BigCorp
Jan 26 - Recruiter sends me details about in-person interview. This is my last contact with him until Feb 28.
Jan 29 - I have the in person interview at BigCorp headquarters with hiring mgr and 3 others. I feel like it goes well.
February - I leave several voicemails and send emails to Recruiter. Zero response. I write it off and drown my sorrows in rum.
February 28 - Recruiter emails me. "This position is open again and [Hiring Manager] liked you. Would you be interested in revisiting?" I reply "Absolutely. What happens next?"
No response. I email him March 2. No response. I leave a voicemail March 6. I email him AND leave a short professional voicemail today. You'll never guess what didn't happen next.
Do I have any options here? What if BigCorp wants to hire me, but Recruiter isn't responding them either? Is it absolutely crazy to contact Hiring Manager directly? (He's on LinkedIn along with the other interviewers.) Should I contact someone else at XYZ Staffing? Curse his entire family? Write it off and buy more rum? There are probably going to be other jobs open at BigCorp so I don't want to burn any bridges by fucking this up.
I really wanted this job and I know I'd be good at it. It was my #1 pick until I interviewed at OtherCompany yesterday, but of course I can't count on that one.
Jan 10 - Recruiter from XYZ Staffing saw my resume somewhere and cold-calls me about a one year contract job at BigCorp
Jan 17 - I have a phone interview with hiring manager from BigCorp
Jan 26 - Recruiter sends me details about in-person interview. This is my last contact with him until Feb 28.
Jan 29 - I have the in person interview at BigCorp headquarters with hiring mgr and 3 others. I feel like it goes well.
February - I leave several voicemails and send emails to Recruiter. Zero response. I write it off and drown my sorrows in rum.
February 28 - Recruiter emails me. "This position is open again and [Hiring Manager] liked you. Would you be interested in revisiting?" I reply "Absolutely. What happens next?"
No response. I email him March 2. No response. I leave a voicemail March 6. I email him AND leave a short professional voicemail today. You'll never guess what didn't happen next.
Do I have any options here? What if BigCorp wants to hire me, but Recruiter isn't responding them either? Is it absolutely crazy to contact Hiring Manager directly? (He's on LinkedIn along with the other interviewers.) Should I contact someone else at XYZ Staffing? Curse his entire family? Write it off and buy more rum? There are probably going to be other jobs open at BigCorp so I don't want to burn any bridges by fucking this up.
I really wanted this job and I know I'd be good at it. It was my #1 pick until I interviewed at OtherCompany yesterday, but of course I can't count on that one.
The recruitment agency gets paid if you take the offer as they would have terms with the Corp. I suggest that you speak to the Corp and get an offer.
posted by parmanparman at 9:17 AM on March 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by parmanparman at 9:17 AM on March 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
Yeah, this seems like a good case to do an end-run around the recruiter. Reach out to the company and let them know that you're interested in the job but the recruiter isn't communicative, and oh by the way, the agency is actually pretty unprofessional.
posted by kevinbelt at 9:34 AM on March 8, 2018
posted by kevinbelt at 9:34 AM on March 8, 2018
Forget the recruiter. They had their chance. Contact BigCorp directly and briefly explain the situation. Worst case is that BigCorp has no interest , in which case, no loss. Chances are good that if you are hired, the recruiter gets paid anyway, for doing nothing.
posted by cnc at 9:35 AM on March 8, 2018
posted by cnc at 9:35 AM on March 8, 2018
Response by poster: I'm trying to get the email format the company uses from a former employee. The Hiring Manager has LinkedIn but I know people don't always check their messages there. I'm reluctant to call the main number and ask for him (the place is HUGE so they may not even let me through?) but I will if that's the best idea.
posted by AFABulous at 9:51 AM on March 8, 2018
posted by AFABulous at 9:51 AM on March 8, 2018
I agree that the recruiter isn't handling your case well, but you should consider that he/she is the middleman and if the client is hesitant, unsure, or playing games then the recruiter is often going to appear this way as well by default. Lots of times it can be the client that is actually not being responsive so the recruiter by default is going to seem unresponsive as well while he/she is waiting for the client to connect with them.
The fact that the position is "open again" after such a short time and that the recruiter took a while to get back to you on how you were liked by them, leads me to believe that whoever is handling the hiring process at BigCorp isn't really handling this well either.
Going around the recruiter is not a horrible idea. Just so long as you consider the potential consequences. I don't think the recruiter never working with you again would necessarily be such a big loss, but consider that BIGCORP might find it unsavory that someone they remember coming through an agency and then went ahead behind the back of the agency. Depending on the position you're after and the person hiring, this can be seen as untrustworthiness.... OR they might be happy about the fact that they can hire you without paying the agency fee. From the looks of things it probably makes more sense to roll the dice and go for it anyway.
posted by fantasticness at 9:53 AM on March 8, 2018 [6 favorites]
The fact that the position is "open again" after such a short time and that the recruiter took a while to get back to you on how you were liked by them, leads me to believe that whoever is handling the hiring process at BigCorp isn't really handling this well either.
Going around the recruiter is not a horrible idea. Just so long as you consider the potential consequences. I don't think the recruiter never working with you again would necessarily be such a big loss, but consider that BIGCORP might find it unsavory that someone they remember coming through an agency and then went ahead behind the back of the agency. Depending on the position you're after and the person hiring, this can be seen as untrustworthiness.... OR they might be happy about the fact that they can hire you without paying the agency fee. From the looks of things it probably makes more sense to roll the dice and go for it anyway.
posted by fantasticness at 9:53 AM on March 8, 2018 [6 favorites]
I am a hiring manager. I am not your hiring manager. You have nothing to lose by finding manager at BigCorp and talking to them. Recruiters are transactional animals, they typically do NOT have the exclusive access/lock on the job that they are trying to present themselves as having, and FWIW they will typically get paid for making the introduction (assuming you get hired), so the recruiter doesn't really care anyway. Meanwhile, if the hiring manager had an IN-PERSON interview with you, they should not be offended if you contact them. If they get mad, you didn't want to work there. I'd mention that the recruiter sent that response and then hasn't replied in your message - don't make a big deal of it, but say that this is why you're contacting.
Try the hiring manager at BigCorp by any means possible. Most people do get email pings when someone contacts them by LI, so that's where I'd start. Nothing wrong with trying the phone. LI should give you a geographic location.
posted by randomkeystrike at 10:14 AM on March 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
Try the hiring manager at BigCorp by any means possible. Most people do get email pings when someone contacts them by LI, so that's where I'd start. Nothing wrong with trying the phone. LI should give you a geographic location.
posted by randomkeystrike at 10:14 AM on March 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
Contact BigCorp with a cc: to Recruiter. You'll be helping both of them and deceiving neither.
Even if the delays were on the client's side, the recruiter should have kept you informed of that in any case.
posted by JimN2TAW at 10:26 AM on March 8, 2018 [4 favorites]
Even if the delays were on the client's side, the recruiter should have kept you informed of that in any case.
posted by JimN2TAW at 10:26 AM on March 8, 2018 [4 favorites]
A site to get email formats. I also have a Data.com account and if you want to Memail me the name and company I can see if there is a record for them in there.
posted by COD at 10:55 AM on March 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by COD at 10:55 AM on March 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
You can also try testing email variations at Mail Tester.
posted by COD at 10:56 AM on March 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by COD at 10:56 AM on March 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
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On the other hand, that doesn't really seem to matter much in this case, as you will never elect to work with him again either. So you really don't have much to lose by contacting your interviewer and saying "hey, I'm getting some mixed signals from the recruiter so I just wanted to touch bases with you. I'm still interested in the position if it's available."
posted by vignettist at 9:04 AM on March 8, 2018 [5 favorites]