Headhunting is a strange field. 90% of the recruiters are less than garbage, while 10% are worth their weight in gold.
The one comment I'll add is, like any cold calling, it's a very tough job. At the very least, I try to be polite to everyone, because you never know how hard it is to be in their shoes. In addition, if they're remotely reputable, I'll give them names that fit their search. (In my field I tend to know who is looking)
The key is to shut them down as soon as they start doing anything that smells of being unethical:
- Asking for where else you are interviewing.
- Asking for information not relevant to the position.
- Not telling you which company the resume is getting sent to prior to their submission.
- Pulling lines from Glengarry Glen Ross, Boiler Room, the Wolf of Wallstreet or similar.
It is amazing that many of these folks can keep jobs, but I guess it's like being a gym membership salesperson. Only the best last.
The one comment I'll add is, like any cold calling, it's a very tough job. At the very least, I try to be polite to everyone, because you never know how hard it is to be in their shoes. In addition, if they're remotely reputable, I'll give them names that fit their search. (In my field I tend to know who is looking)
The key is to shut them down as soon as they start doing anything that smells of being unethical:
- Asking for where else you are interviewing.
- Asking for information not relevant to the position.
- Not telling you which company the resume is getting sent to prior to their submission.
- Pulling lines from Glengarry Glen Ross, Boiler Room, the Wolf of Wallstreet or similar.
It is amazing that many of these folks can keep jobs, but I guess it's like being a gym membership salesperson. Only the best last.