Why would you do this?

[presidentender]

So my resume's up on dice and monster in .txt format, just because. I get calls and emails about three or four times a month for immediate openings, which illustrates a lack of careful reading on the part of them there spam-recruiters (I don't graduate 'til May and my resume says as much).

Anyway, I got a call at lunch today from one of these recruiters. She had a very thick (Indian) accent and I never did quite figure out the company she represented. The opening for which she was advertising was in April, so I couldn't go for an interview, anyway.

This made me wonder: with all the backlash against H1Bs and offshoring, why would you bring in a recruiter from India? It doesn't affect me much (beyond the difficulty in communication) but it seems to me that it would be a turnoff for a lot of developers in the market, some of whom may blame low-cost Indians when they're laid off.

 

[DaveSimmons]

If it wasn't just a scam:

Do you know they were a recruiter not just an employee at a company?

At a smaller company the HR person or head of development might be calling you, not someone hired as a recruiter.

 

[MrChad]

If you're turned off by jobs involving Indians (thick accents or no), you're probably in the wrong line of work.

 

[presidentender]

Originally posted by: MrChad
If you're turned off by jobs involving Indians (thick accents or no), you're probably in the wrong line of work.

I'm not turned off. Honestly, she was perfectly nice, and I got used to it pretty quick. But other forums (dice, specifically) are full of angry "underpaid" Americans willing to blame anyone else for their lack of overwhelming success. This is the origin of my question.

On second thought, that's probably exactly the person to have doing the recruiting! Right away, you weed out people who don't want to work with a large portion of your development staff.

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
If it wasn't just a scam:

Do you know they were a recruiter not just an employee at a company?

At a smaller company the HR person or head of development might be calling you, not someone hired as a recruiter.

If it was just an employee, or the head dev, or anyone really, I'd hope she'd read my resume and see "May 2009 (projected)" as my graduation date and not call me for a position closing in April.

 

[Markbnj]

There are a lot of Indian recruiters in the business because there are a lot of Indian offshore and onshore body shops constantly recruiting people. I would wager that most of the interviews she does are not conducted in english.

 

[presidentender]

Originally posted by: Markbnj
There are a lot of Indian recruiters in the business because there are a lot of Indian offshore and onshore body shops constantly recruiting people. I would wager that most of the interviews she does are not conducted in english.

I probably look like an ideal body for such a shop, given that my age and (in)experience would correlate strongly with naivete.

Speaking of which (and hijacking my own thread) how do I avoid being taken advantage of by recruiters and companies? I have every interest in engaging in mutually beneficial business relationships with all comers - but the "mutual" part is important.

 

[GaryJohnson]

Always have a contract, always understand 100% of the contract before you sign it.

 

[imported_Dhaval00]

<edit>
rant removed
</edit>

 

[presidentender]

Originally posted by: Dhaval00
*snip*

While I appreciate your response, I would encourage you to read the entire thread. My objection was not what you (and other posters) have interpreted based on my original post.

 

[imported_Dhaval00]

You're right! I misspoke and misunderstood. I got carried away - removed my rant.

This is what happens when you try and hurry up with a post before a meeting 😉.

 

[JasonCoder]

My advice on the getting taken advantage of question: don't work with agencies. You're just coming out of school - don't go straight into contracting if you can help it. Go get some solid experience in an junior level position in a good shop somewhere.

Just some friendly advice.

 

[SunnyD]

I have actually had to tell recruiters that I could not understand them. It usually doesn't go over so well, but I'm a straight shooter - if I can't understand what you're trying to tell me, then I have no desire to continue a conversation with you. It alienates people yes, but it's life.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: SunnyD
I have actually had to tell recruiters that I could not understand them. It usually doesn't go over so well, but I'm a straight shooter - if I can't understand what you're trying to tell me, then I have no desire to continue a conversation with you. It alienates people yes, but it's life.

3/4 of your professors in College were not foreign nationals? I have about one American professor a semester, tops. You get used to poor English and/or thick accents after a while.