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Hi,
Thanks for your podcasts on interacting with recruiters. I wish that I had heard them a few weeks ago! I was recently introduced to a recruiter via email by a new aquaintance. The recruiter asked for my resume and compensation and I shared both (oops).

The recruiter is in a related field but not specifically mine. I also addressed him by my friends name in email. (oops). I then sent an email apologizing for the snafu. A few days later I sent another email asking if he had received my resume and have heard nothing for 2 weeks.

So I wonder if it was the snafu or a lack of opportunities as to why I did not get a reply. Or something else. I want to understand so that I don't make the same mistake in the future and I know what to expect. Any insight is appreciated.

Thanks again..

Mark's picture
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Eddie-

Glad those casts were helpful... sort of. ;-)

it's probably a little of (a) you messed up a little, (b) you haven't formed a relationship with him and won't through email, and (c) he is in a slightly different field.

I would NOT worry about this, though You've apologized... done. CALL HIM and reintroduce yourself and offer to buy him a coffee and see what you think.

If he doesn't respond favorably to that and doesn't give you any different feedback, then chalk it up to a lack of fit and let it go.

Plenty of fish in the sea!

Mark

Eddie's picture

Thanks Mark,
Good advise - I appreciate it..
Eddie

Peter.westley's picture
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[quote="mahorstman"]it's probably a little of (a) you messed up a little, (b) you haven't formed a relationship with him and won't through email, and (c) he is in a slightly different field.[/quote]

And I would add (d) Recruiters are often only interested in a new resume if it matches a vacancy they have RIGHT NOW. That's not to say you can't still build a relationship but a casual resume will, in my experience, not get a huge response if there's no immediate match.

Mark's picture
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Peter's dead right.

Eddie's picture

Thanks, Peter - I thought that that might be a reason as well.
Eddie

Peter.westley's picture
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I just had a call from a [i][b]headhunter[/b][/i]! It's funny, but that's how he introduced himself! Quite a rare occurrance for me. Anyway, as has been discussed previously, it's generally accepted OK to use that word now.

I was about 30 seconds into the call and remembered the [i]M-T guidelines[/i] on just such a call. I hadn't "gotten around to" printing the cheat sheet out and putting it somewhere accessible yet so quickly remembering the key points, I thought through the previous 30 seconds of conversation and was relieved to discover I hadn't broken any of the rules! (like giving salary info).

I took the opportunity to get him to repeat and spell his name, tell me where he was from, his phone number and email and how he had got my name. As it turns out he found it on Linked In and looked my number up in the phone book.

I even managed to answer the salary question the right way ("I'd prefer not to talk about that until we have a firm possibility in front of us") - or something similar.

The job was in Sydney and because we're not mobile at present I (sadly) had to say no. He did ask the question about anyone else who might be interested though. The trick is he's looking for someone to work in Sydey (I'm in Melbourne, about [url=http://www.google.com/search?q=873km+in+miles]873km[/url] from Sydney) and I really only know Melbourne-ites and people I wouldn't think would be wanting to move. [Aside: As Australians, it's my opinion that we're not nearly as mobile as our US counterparts but that's another story.]

Question is, what to do if I have no referrals? Should I refer someone who might be interested in the job whether I think they would move to Sydney or not?

I Said I'd try to think and get back to him if I think of someone. I'm planning on getting back to him anyway.

I'm feeling proud of myself - I think I did reasonably well, what are forum's thoughts?

Needless to say, the cheat sheet is now printed out and accessible from my desk :-)

Mark's picture
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Peter-

Sounds like you did great! Way to go on remembering some of the basics.

(And, ahhh, a lesson for those cheat sheets, eh? Makes one think of becoming a paid subscriber, all that stuff for every show...) :wink:

I absolutely would give him a name of someone in Melbourne. You can never tell who would go, and even those who say they won't... you don't want to make their decision for them.

Simply eliminate the location from your recommendation, and create a list that would be right without that criterion. If they say no, fine, that's not on you... but it also opens up the opportunity for them to point the guy to a friend in Sydney.

And... it creates a link between you and the recruiter.

Sure, tell him you can't vouch for their willingness to move... but you're still coming out ahead. (And since most people SAY they'll call back and don't, you'll look even a little better. And if you were to suggest TWO people.... NICE.)

Mark

Eddie's picture

Peter - Good thinking on your feet!
Mark - I never would have thought to take location out of the equation for a reccomendation - that's good to remember..
Eddie