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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An owner called me back and told me he googled me and could tell I was new and told me I have a shitty job and all I do is recycle bad sales people but if I got a real good one to call and present them. It was a backhanded compliment I guess lol!

Love meeting people globally! Love what I do and if I get a snotty response it doesn't bother me obviously their problems started way before I called.

The most arrogant response ever was a lecture I received when I called in asking for program manager for a stealth program at Lockheed.  Employers who have government contracts that require security clearances to even work there take on a “gatekeeper” attitude it seems—to protect their people and work from the threat of intruders.  So they have a dismissive attitude for the cold caller, but will give you access if someone vouches for you.

 

Interestingly I also attract the rudest responses from sports fans, and responses of disbelief,  when I cold call candidates in Seattle, New York and Florida…to this day.  It never fails for more than half of those calls—when I introduce myself as Tino Martinez I get blasted as in:

"What the bleep!...Who the bleep, blot, bleep do you think you are?"  And  “Tino?  You’re not Tino Martinez. Is this a joke?  Don’t be saying you’re Tino.  I know Tino--&$%*.   Etc., etc.,…click!

For those who don’t hang up and expect an explanation—they calm down when I explain that I too am a big fan of Tino Martinez, formally of the New York Yankees; Seattle Mariners; the Tampa Bay Devil Rays; and the University of Tampa Spartans.  Tino Martinez is a fan favorite in those cities…not so much in St. Louis, however.

I further explain that my name is Valentino Martinez and I go by Tino.  He goes by "Tino" but his full name is Constantino.  We then exchange great "Tino Martinez" moments (you have to be a fan to appreciate) like his Grand Slam in the World Series against Texas; his USA Baseball Olympic Gold Medal; and 4 World Series Rings; his All Star Home Run Derby Trophy; and the best one...Tino's World Series home run in the bottom of the 9th, with two outs against the Arizona Diamondbacks that extended the game to an eventual win. 

Then we get down to the reason for my call.

A cold call to a retail store in the New England area.     I had not said a word when a voice answered the phone and

 said,   "I'm busy what do you want?"

Heavy breathing......low voice.....seductive tones.....

I am, honestly, not sure if he had caller ID or thought I was someone else.  I didn't get a chance to tell him who I was or why I was calling, but I hung up anyway.  That was early in my career.  Now, I would have followed through!  :) 

I've rarely had to make a 'cold' call as such but I did have one chap a while back who pretty much told me he saw no value in what I did, nor in networking.

 

It was an interesting conversation 6 months later with him when he'd been made redundant and was looking for a new role!

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