Question of the day: What is the rudest response you have received from a random cold call?

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The phone is a recruiter's best friend, but not always the source of good cheer. We all have them, so what is yours?

Question of the day: What is the rudest response you have received from a random cold call?

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Permalink Reply by Martina Scheuring Rich on January 16, 2012 at 11:08am

Several years ago, I called someone I found on LinkedIn. They didn't post their number, but I was really easily able to get it  (everything's kinda easy to access, professionally). Anyway, when I called, he became irate and yelled at me for calling him, asked how I got his number, etc. When I told him, he was still really mad, but at least let me off the phone. Then, he went on LinkedIn and started posting questions about why recruiters call people they find on LinkedIn. This was several years ago--- I hope he's learned that there are buttons on the bottom for what you're looking for on the site. 

Permalink Reply by Dyll Davies on January 16, 2012 at 12:25pm

Never done a cold call to a potential client in my life (all my work comes on recommendation - until now at least!) but one candidate told me that the software of the company I was recruiting for was 'rubbish'  (actually he used a less complimentary word in fact!) - or he assumed it would be because it was a 'Limey' company.  We ended up having a 45 minute conversation when I asked him why he said that and eventually I placed him in the role I was calling him about!

Permalink Reply by Megan Bell on January 16, 2012 at 1:25pm

I was hung up on in the middle of my introduction - not the worst, but certainly rude!

Permalink Reply by Bill Schultz on January 16, 2012 at 1:38pm

WOW, DYLL- THAT'S GREAT!  (sorry caps malfunction).  Were you born into a fertile network?  

There are so many- My worst transition was going from executive search in SF (Usually there's a certain amount of mutual respect given in a town that is fairly friendly) to Temp Sales in NYC.- Wow- it was common place to get yelled at daily by 20 year old snot noses,  Grey advertising used to hire the rudest.  They must have had scouts all over the country hunting for rudeness.  Hey , maybe that's a reality show.   American Rudeness

Permalink Reply by Amy Ala Miller on January 16, 2012 at 1:48pm

Ugh there are so many I've tried to block them out haha I don't have Dyll's luck. :) One that does come to mind was the VP of something or other for a mid sized company in Portland. I am in Seattle and people in the NW are generally known to be nice even when they don't want to talk to you. So I start my recruiter intro and he stops me with "I'm not buying any of your crap" I said "sorry? I'm not selling anything, I'm a recruiter hoping to talk with you about a candidate I'm working with" and he starts yelling at me about how we're all the same always trying to sell some (expletive) and what the (expletive) is wrong with people like me. I just hung up and took that company off my list. :)

Permalink Reply by Dyll Davies on January 16, 2012 at 2:09pm

I guess I am just lazy and figure I'd rather be doing something else than trying to convince companies to use me as a recruiter.  They do get called a zillion times a week and it is not suprising they get a little weary - particularly when most recruiters (and we have to be honest here) launch into some pre-prepared pitch which is probabaly pretty much the same as the last recruiter's.  Trying to convince someone in 30 seconds that you are not like all the others by essentially doing the exact same thing (cold-calling potential clients) has never seemed to be a very productive way of working to me.  So I guess I have been lucky and as I said just a bit lazy . . . ;-)

Amy Ala said:

Ugh there are so many I've tried to block them out haha I don't have Dyll's luck. :) One that does come to mind was the VP of something or other for a mid sized company in Portland. I am in Seattle and people in the NW are generally known to be nice even when they don't want to talk to you. So I start my recruiter intro and he stops me with "I'm not buying any of your crap" I said "sorry? I'm not selling anything, I'm a recruiter hoping to talk with you about a candidate I'm working with" and he starts yelling at me about how we're all the same always trying to sell some (expletive) and what the (expletive) is wrong with people like me. I just hung up and took that company off my list. :)

Permalink Reply by Brian K. Johnston on January 16, 2012 at 3:08pm

"F&#$(*#*@ You Bottom Feeder" (then hung up)

Permalink Reply by Bill Schultz on January 16, 2012 at 6:14pm


Brian K. Johnston said:

"F&#$(*#*@ You Bottom Feeder" (then hung up)

Winner!
Permalink Reply by Joelle Mekongo on January 17, 2012 at 3:50am

PPPLZZZ  NEVER DIAL THIS NUMBER AGAINNNN!!!!! :(((((((((((((

Permalink Reply by Samantha Lacey on January 17, 2012 at 5:04am

Not quite on topic but I was once told I was the most polite cold caller ever. That's what working in a call centre for 2 years before being a recruiter gets you I guess. :) 

Permalink Reply by Helen Burbank (Appleby) on January 17, 2012 at 10:08am

The hang up before you have even said why you are calling is a classic  'Hi 'Bob' my name is Helen Appleby and I am calling fr.' and hang up. Awesome. 

'Let me stop you right there, I am not interested in talking to you right now, or ever, don't try calling back' -- that was another favourite

Permalink Reply by Tim Spagnola on January 17, 2012 at 10:15am

That is the worst Helen. Thanks everyone for sharing their thoughts on this topic. It is one of those ones where it is nice to know I'm 'not the only one'. 

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