Recruiter wants to know all about your status

Do you notice any problematic parts of this email message from a search firm recruiter who is recruiting for a senior level HR position?

I am FIRST NAME, Recruiter with SEARCH FIRM NAME, reaching out to you about an opportunity that may be of interest to you. I've described a little about the role below and would highly appreciate if you could let me know of your interest .

Duration: Contract to Hire / Temp to Permanent

*** JOB DESCRIPTION CONTENT ****

If you are interested in exploring further, please mail me your updated resume, portfolio along with the answers to the following questions.

1) INS Status – whether you are US Citizen or Green Card Holder or Visa Holder?
2) Availability - When you can start working on a new assignment.
3) Your current and expected compensation (both hourly rate & annual salary)?

4) If you are currently working, the nature of the contract and your reasons for opting out?

5) Your current location and time it would take you to reach the client location, mentioned above? Or alternatively would you be open for relocation?

Thanks for your time and I look forward to work with you,

RECRUITER & SEARCH FIRM CONTACT INFO

The first thing that stands out to me is the word "permanent"

Being that most of us operate in an "employment-at-will" arrangement, referring to a job as "permanent" contradicts typical at-will language. Not to mention, there really is no such thing as a permanent job.

The next, even more alarming phrase, is the first question related to status. Rather than informing any potential applicants of standard US employment eligibility verification procedures, this recruiter wants to know actual citizenship status. Here's a hint from EEOC about why that may not be an advisable query http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/practices/inquiries_citizenship.cfm

The remaining questions are awkward at best or premature to ask before actually determining a preliminary interest between an applicant and the search firm. Obviously anyone that responds to this would be interested in a new position and would probably be prepared to discuss start date, compensation, location, and any other information according to the typical expectations of an initial phone screen.

If I were a senior level HR person receiving this, I wouldn't be too impressed with this recruiter's approach or this search firm's methods. And as a hiring company I wouldn't want to be associated with them at all in the context of recruiting an HR leader. How about you?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sandra McCartt on March 18, 2014 at 9:32pm

The email tells me that the writer is not a native English speaker and may be with an offshore firm. Delete

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Permalink Reply by Kelly Blokdijk on March 18, 2014 at 10:16pm

Thanks, Sandra. It's actually a local, domestic "boutique" firm with offices in San Diego and Orange County, CA. I probably should have mentioned that above.

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Permalink Reply by Sandra McCartt on March 18, 2014 at 11:43pm

Interesting. I have never seen a native English speaker say, " I look forward to work with you".

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Permalink Reply by Linda Ferrante on March 19, 2014 at 10:03am

There is so much wrong with that email, I don't even know where to begin!!

If I received that email, like Sandra I would think it's from an overseas company. Knowing it was a local company, I would think they were hacked. I may actually call them and tell them I thought they were hacked if an email went out that looked like that!

Quite frankly, I wouldn't think very highly of any company that sent out an email like that.

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Permalink Reply by Amber on March 19, 2014 at 11:16am

The "I look forward to work with you" was probably a typo, then. Which doesn't help the email be any better. I do email potential candidates, but never ask so many detailed questions in the initial one. If we end up being able to talk, there comes a time to discuss more specifics about the job, etc. I get answers to questions like the ones in the email, but it is during conversation - not a questionnaire.

I'm curious - what was the subject line?

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Permalink Reply by Ryan Leary on March 19, 2014 at 2:02pm

I agree with you on this...

Linda Ferrante LoCicero said:

There is so much wrong with that email, I don't even know where to begin!!

If I received that email, like Sandra I would think it's from an overseas company. Knowing it was a local company, I would think they were hacked. I may actually call them and tell them I thought they were hacked if an email went out that looked like that!

Quite frankly, I wouldn't think very highly of any company that sent out an email like that.

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Permalink Reply by Keith D. Halperin on March 19, 2014 at 2:50pm

Dudes/Dudettes: BFD! I get lots of these each day....

If someone wants/needs the job from the company (though it is questionable if the job is real!): they'll go through the hoops. If not: delete/spam....

-kh

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Permalink Reply by Kelly Blokdijk on March 19, 2014 at 7:15pm

Amber the subject line: HR Director Opportunity in CITY, CA

Amber said:

The "I look forward to work with you" was probably a typo, then. Which doesn't help the email be any better. I do email potential candidates, but never ask so many detailed questions in the initial one. If we end up being able to talk, there comes a time to discuss more specifics about the job, etc. I get answers to questions like the ones in the email, but it is during conversation - not a questionnaire.

I'm curious - what was the subject line?

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Permalink Reply by Kelly Blokdijk on March 19, 2014 at 7:17pm

Good point, Keith about getting lots of these messages (and, many are in fact obvious spam). However, jumping through hoops or not, if a person wants/needs a job, dealing with a person or agency that operates this way may do more harm than good for their chances.

Keith D. Halperin said:

Dudes/Dudettes: BFD! I get lots of these each day....

If someone wants/needs the job from the company (though it is questionable if the job is real!): they'll go through the hoops. If not: delete/spam....

-kh

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Permalink Reply by Keith D. Halperin on March 19, 2014 at 8:18pm

@ Kelly. Agreed, for someone who believes they can pick and choose among the best of many opportunities. The thing is though, even well-crafted postings can be filled, in-error, or they just won't get back to you, so many people (including me) say: "Apply to 'em all- let God sort 'em out..."