How do you know a recruit is legit or not?

[VinylxScratches]

I kept getting a call from 3 different recruits from the same organization. I always missed their call because I had a temp job and figured since I didn't answer the first 3 times they would just give up. Well they didn't and today they called, I missed the call so I called back. The guy gave me a talk about the position, he seemed more interested where I have been applying and what I have been doing and I kept it shut. I just told him about my temp job that I had and never said where I have been applying to. It seems like these recruits are trying to find out where the jobs are so they can send their clients to those jobs.

I will have an interview with him later this week. I'm still iffy about it. If the dude asks for my SSN I will walk out haha.

Has anyone had any luck with recruits for programming positions?

 

[imported_Dhaval00]

Depends on what kind of recruiting companies you're talking about. In these times, it is a good thing that recruiters do want to bug you! Basically, if it someone like Robert Half or Kforce, go for it. When I graduated, Robert Half was able to land me multiple interviews. And they still keep in touch... I usually like to have access to such alternatives. If it is a low-profile company, then be careful. But overall, recruiting is not so bad, IMO.

 

[Markbnj]

The thing that sticks out for me is that they kept bugging you. Either there is something in your resume that is required for an open position, and they haven't been able to find it elsewhere, or something else is going on, because generally those guys forget about you pretty quickly once they decide they aren't going to make money on you. The ones Dhaval00 mentioned are somewhat of an exception, along with other large firms, because they train their reps to develop clients, and have formal follow-up regimes.

 

[VinylxScratches]

I hope that's the case Markbnj. Somehow I doubt that though lol. I have an interview soon. Thanks guys.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: VinylxScratches
I hope that's the case Markbnj. Somehow I doubt that though lol. I have an interview soon. Thanks guys.

Keep us posted

 

[VinylxScratches]

Totally bombed the questions they put on paper. I don't think I'm fit to program as a professional.

 

[Ken g6]

Hey, I totally bombed my first technical interview, too. I had no idea what to expect, and they happened to be asking about some deep details of Java, a language I hadn't known that long but thought I knew well.

 

[imported_Dhaval00]

Originally posted by: VinylxScratches
Totally bombed the questions they put on paper. I don't think I'm fit to program as a professional.

I think I've mentioned this to a few newbie developers here... you should not be turned off by the initial interviews. All the interviews have a pattern and you should use some of these initial interviews to figure out that pattern. For example, if you listed ASP.NET as a competency, most interviewers will ask you about the page life-cycle, common controls, all the state objects, etc. If you've never interviewed before, you shouldn't discourage yourself based on the outcomes of these initial screenings.

If you love programming and it makes you happy and you did OK in school, there is no reason for you to stop .

I bombed like six or seven interviews before I started getting better with my responses. My best tip here would be to keep a list of questions from all of your interviews to try and recognize the "pattern" I mentioned earlier.

 

[DaveSimmons]

^ good points. I've been coding in C/C++ for 15 years now since college but I would probably bomb language-lawyer questions about them, or on obscure template lore.

If I'm missing a piece of knowledge I need at work, I just learn it and move on.