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Are employment headhunters the new used car salesmen?

SunnyD

SunnyD

Belgian Waffler
I just had this conversation:

Him: What salary would you be looking for?
Me: $110k to start.
Him: This position has a req for $70-80k max.
Me: Yeah, I can't do that.
Him: It has only been approved for that range. Is there any chance you'd consider 80k?
Me: That's less than I make now, thank you. I wouldn't even consider it.
Him: How about 85-90k?
Me: 90k wouldn't even be a lateral move for me, plus relocating etc. would just be an additional burdon.
Him: At 90k we would only be making a few dollars filling the req, are you sure there's no way...
Me: Honestly, considering the location of the position and that I factor cost of living based on location into my salary requirements, $110k would be my absolute minimum I would even consider.
Him: Okay, so I can put you in for $110k. Can I send you an email confirming the salary etc...

How did we just go from the req for the position being 70-80k to him putting me in for $110k?

I hate these slimeball staffing houses.
 
SunnyD said:
How did we just go from the req for the position being 70-80k to him putting me in for $110k?

I hate these slimeball staffing houses.
Click to expand...

These guys are a numbers game. If they throw 100 resumes at the wall and one sticks, they get paid. Putting you in $110k is harmless from their perspective (and yours, honestly). They just need enough resumes in to get past the initial phase sort and hope someone impresses in their interview.
 
I hate them. I just ignore the calls now because it always feels like a waste of my fucking time.

KT
 
KeithTalent said:
I hate them. I just ignore the calls now because it always feels like a waste of my fucking time.

KT
Click to expand...

I wish I could ignore the emails. Years after last having my resume posted, I still get calls for jobs in BFE for less money than any reasonable person would accept.
 
Vdubchaos said:
In typical Anandtech member's fashion....

😎



What staffing house is not a slimeball?
Click to expand...

It's not outlandish to make 6 figures in IT (I'm assuming) if you actually know what you are doing.

Though I just accepted a job for half that and am quite happy, but I barely know what I'm doing. 😎
 
There's this recruiting agency that keeps sending me offers. Ive told them a billion times, IM not moving from San Jose CA, and they're always like, "I've got his great job for you in Montana!"
 
that's not as bad as when you tell a potential employer what you are asking for, then they make you an offer after the interview and wasting your time that is lower than you told them you were interested in. thankfully that only happened to me when i was in my first job looking for a new job. now i wouldn't let it get to that point, i'm not as scared up front to ask questions and walk when they won't even consider what i want.

in the OP's situation though, i have no clue why he would try to get you in at a lower rate unless he is doing some shady stuff. typically recruiters get a % of the final established salary, so going higher would have been in his benefit, not the other way around.
 
Just be happy that you don't have a security clearance. I think I've gotten a dozen emails for jobs in every city in VA. And, no matter how many times you tell them you don't want to work in, at, or around DC, they keep coming.
 
i had the opposite treatment:

Headhunter hooked me up with an interview, went through the interview, aced it, and confirmed to be hired. My asking pay was at the very bottom end of their offering range; as we were finalizing paperwork, the headhunter called and said the hiring company maybe out of budget, which is utter BS cuz i wasn't asking anything higher than what they were offering. The headhunter then lowballed me and ask what's the minimum I could accept. The chicken in me didn't call him bluff and say i can do about 3% less, which is a token amount, but more than a slap in the face. A day later he came back to me and said "he fought for the amount i was asking."

I had this similar trick pulled on me another time too, by another company's internal hiring manager/HR and not a headhunter.

fooled me twice, I am the fool.
 
It's getting so prevalent now. I've got my profile on DICE.com with the my expected salary and current job and these guys are relentless with their lowballing and contract lengths.
 
core2slow said:
It's getting so prevalent now. I've got my profile on DICE.com with the my expected salary and current job and these guys are relentless with their lowballing and contract lengths.
Click to expand...
I suspect that many do not like at the profile information.

They get in a req from some scrubber system; match up keywords from the DICE (as an example) scrubber; and send out an email.

They do not look at your resume/background at all.

they have a target rate from the client; a rate that they want (for profit) and the max rate from client.

Some will "go above" the max rate hoping that you will then negotiate down if interest is expressed
 
cabri said:
I suspect that many do not like at the profile information.

They get in a req from some scrubber system; match up keywords from the DICE (as an example) scrubber; and send out an email.

They do not look at your resume/background at all.

they have a target rate from the client; a rate that they want (for profit) and the max rate from client.

Some will "go above" the max rate hoping that you will then negotiate down if interest is expressed
Click to expand...

Yep, it's totally by the numbers and automated. A human unit only gets involved if you reply.
 
What I can't stand are the hastily made headhunter companies that all seem to be based in India. They don't care at all if they spam you about positions you have no interest in or in locations you aren't willing to move to. They shoot out thousands of emails and see what sticks.
 
cabri said:
I suspect that many do not like at the profile information.

They get in a req from some scrubber system; match up keywords from the DICE (as an example) scrubber; and send out an email.

They do not look at your resume/background at all.

they have a target rate from the client; a rate that they want (for profit) and the max rate from client.

Some will "go above" the max rate hoping that you will then negotiate down if interest is expressed
Click to expand...
Totally get what you're saying, the emails i can deal with since i've set up a filter on my inbox, but 90% of them are live indian callers (no offense) so i'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they at least know how to navigate a dice profile and see that im currently employed FULL TIME and that im not going to downgrade for a 6mos contract work in some remote bumf**k town that's nowhere near my listed salary income.
 
I don't have a problem with them. It helps keep my options open, I have had good experiences with all but one headhunter. If I'm not in the market I just ignore them
 
AdamK47 said:
What I can't stand are the hastily made headhunter companies that all seem to be based in India. They don't care at all if they spam you about positions you have no interest in or in locations you aren't willing to move to. They shoot out thousands of emails and see what sticks.
Click to expand...

You know, I was totally going to make a joke about India and the raping of my inbox, but I think I'll pass today.
 
Your biggest problem appears to be you. Why are you giving them reasons? It's their job to find out the lowest salary you will accept.

And as was mentioned, they can still submit you at the higher rate, you'll just be glossed over though if they find candidates with good enough experience for the lower rates.

If your higher rate is approved (and it is above the already approved range), the hiring company re-opens the position which allows your submitted range (or they modify the existing) so the head hunters still get some pay.
 
I'll get fuck tons of random emails from recruiters, pretty annoying. Does a service not exist where you get a real human who actually emails and contacts you..? Is it all completely spammed now a days?
 
For my current temp job, the offer was 25$/hour. I said I'd need it to be 40$/hour for me to consider it and she emailed me back in 5 minutes saying ok 40 approved.

Makes me think I should have asked for 50$. I mean... 25 -> 40 isn't even close, its a different lifestyle for most people.
 
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