No seriously.....we didn't forget about you.....A "TOP 10" list

Good evening all,
    So I planned to write this blog 2 to 3 days a week. Instead I have written 2 times in about 3 weeks, DAMN!!! I would like to blame real life, but I can't. I can blame poor planning and not knowing what to do next. And speaking of those two things.....welcome to tonight's topic.....No, I didn't forget about you or as I like to call it: "What The H**L do you honestly thing I DON'T want you to be working?!?!?!?!?" Most recruiters (I am kind of a special case) get paid a bonus for putting you to work

So I have sat on the other side of the recruiting fence now for about 5 months and one thing I have learned about is why all these jobs recruiters used to call me about just seem to disappear. And I know I sound like a whiny five year old when I say this but: "It's not my fault!!!"

Jobs come and go guys and girls and below are a few reasons why, some we can do something about and some we can't. So below, find my top ten list (actually there's only 6) for why a recruiter can call you about a job and then never get back to you.

<Cue Paul Shaffer Music>

Number 6: The position wasn't clearly defined
So here is the first little bit of insider knowledge for you geeks out there. If you get a job description that looks like it could fill more than one or at most two skillsets, it means that the client "THINKS" they want X.

Client thinking is often overrated, ask for details. If none are forthcoming, think of this position as a "nice to have".

Number 5: It's all about the money honey!!
So do you know when your companies fiscal year starts and ends. Don't bet on it. Fiscal's can start and end at any time of the year. So if you get a call at the end of March, and then you don't hear anything about a job it could be that the Fiscal year starts in April and it turns out that the job lost funding. You can get mad at us or mad at the company but it's not really there fault, these things happen

If you think, "Well heck, I would NEVER expect to have money for a job and then have it disappear" Let me ask you this, "What are YOU spending YOUR tax refund on this year....I planned on a new flat screen....turns out I should have planned on writing a check to someone who doesn't sell flat screens and only buys them at $15k a pop for the airforce"

Number 4: I forgot my wallet
That's right kids, the excuse that I have heard from female friends that guys use all the time on dates can also apply to corporations. Sometimes a company will come to us and say "We want X" and we tell them our fee for finding X. And they say....."great, no problem....I can't wait to try out a 5 star Michelin restaur"....oh wait that's back to the guys and wallets thing.....They say, " great, no problem we are happy to pay "$Y" to you to get us the right person." We often here this from IT Managers....let me tell you something kids.....NO ONE LET'S IT MANAGERS HAVE CHECKBOOKS. Trust me, if the IT manager had the checkbook at your current company, you'd have a LOT more espresso stations and Jolt machines in the office and you would be happier, though likely not for the long haul.

Number 3: Salespeople run our lives
That's right folks you talk to us, and we are often (almost always) not the ones who get the job orders. You see, when we get a job order in from the Business development guys, they have us start working on it right away. Why? Becaise, despite the fact that High School's are producing kids that can do work in Flash and Silverlight that I never dreamed of, does not make geeks an unlimited resource. For every job, there are a few of you and a lot of us.....so they get us started right away....kind of on spec....Business development people are sales people, and therefore optimistic. Yeah well.....optimism is great. Always look on the bright side....even if your head is firmly up your......nevermind, I have to work with these folks

Number 2: The Island of Doctor Moreau
This is kind of linked with the whole job description too general thing, but this actually happens more often then I care to admit. Have you ever read how the Beast Folk were created in HG Wells story? Well welcome to the vivisection and splicing era of the job market.Alot of the time the job order we get is a hybrid.

 For 3 years, unemployment has hovered near or above 10% and that means that companies have gotten used to asking for a lot from thier potential employees and if those candidates we send over don't exactly match, well tough. But at the same time, the companies don't want to lose out on the posibilty of good people just IN CASE they don't find the perfect match. Thus we don't know whether you are still being considered or now.

AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON WE HAVEN'T CALLED YOU BACK
No One at the company is telling us a bloody damned thing. That's right all, we get blown off too and a lot more often then you think. Remember, these people who are interviewing you and writing your job description and telling us who to contact for a phone screen.....they have REAL jobs at these places, and 95% of the time those jobs do not involve hiring people.....so please be a little patient....those managers not only have to read your resume and set up your interview etc. etc. Their bosses also insist they do thier actual day to day jobs as well (Stoopid bosses)

Okay, so that's my "top ten" list for why we might not be calling you back as quickly as you (or we for that matter) would like. Remember, when a job is assigned to us, it's listed as OURS. That means,  to our bosses, if we don't fill it then guess who our bosses blame (actually my boss is pretty cool about it, if the reason is good). Remember that we WANT you to be working. Even if we don't get paid bonuses for placing people (and again, most recruiters do), we want you to be working because we want the feeling of knowing we helped connect you and a good job together.

Trust me, I don't do recruiting for the money. If I want to make money, I'll go and be a BSA/PM or go back to being a programmer again. I like people, and I like them more than I like computers. And I like feeling like I have done some good with my day. Real or imagined, I walk away from my job every day knowing that I at least TRIED to do something that will help someone get a job and feel useful....in my world, it's been woth the pay cut.

Night folks And remember, the opinions expressed in this blog are my own personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or my co-workers.

Though that being said, I'd love to hear from some of you other recruiters and even you candidates. Anyone want to add to my list, make a comment below