Another Recruiter Sullying Our Good Name

I think Sandra posted a blog a few days ago about an embarrassing email (obviously automated) looking for a lower level candidate sent to a C-level candidate/friend of hers. So naturally a few days later, I got a similar email.

I am 24 years old, 2 years out of college and still in my first job (as a recruiter, which I love). I in no way shape or form even remotely qualify for this position, not to mention I don't have any of the certification requirements. My experience is essentially as a bartender and an intern in college and 1 year as a recruiter.

I am debating sending a response telling her how lazy she must be to not even have read my resume to see if I qualify, but I thought it would be interesting to hear everyone's thoughts on how I should word this (unless you think I should just hit delete and ignore the email altogether). Here is the email:

Megan Flynn

Hello!

HIM Manager / Director Bring your Him or coding experience to one of the leading hospitals in Pennsylvania. Looking for a top HIM/ Coding professional with supervisory experience for the Perm Position. This position will lead to a director level position for the “right person”. This is a great opportunity to work with one of the more innovative hospitals in the country. You will help plan and coordinate all services provided by the Health Information Department. Responsible for supervising and maintaining the Medical Records department including helping with goal setting, planning, policy and procedure development, quality assurance and improvement, and supervision and competency of staff.

Experience: Two years in coding or Health Information Management hospital setting with supervisory / administrative experience required.

Certification: American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) OR Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) Prefer ICD-10 Certification as well

If you are interested in the HIM Manager / Director position, please send your updated resume along with salary history to kathyw@thorgroup.com. Thank You.

Comment by Trish Ferrett on February 21, 2012 at 10:57am: OK... but it may be prudent to at least contact the recruiter (in a kind manner) to offer your suggestion before completely berating them publicly.

Comment by Elise Reynolds on February 21, 2012 at 11:01am: Yes, I would avoid bridge burning. It can be satisfying to flame someone but it that is short-lived.

I would use this for an opportunity to make a connection, "Hi Kathy, My name is Elise and I got this generated email by mistake from you. I am actually a recruiter (perhaps a link to your Linkedin page). Feel free to stay in touch if you think I can be helpful."

Comment by Terra on February 21, 2012 at 11:15am: Thank you, Trish; I was going to write something similar. I would also add, that with today’s market, it may be more beneficial to be more diplomatic, my basic rule of thumb is, and “Be nice" you never know who can ultimately help you. Believe me I have made similar mistakes, people are in our database, and sometimes I clicked the wrong email, without being aware of it. On the plus side – At least you know you are still someone they feel they would like to stay in touch with.

Comment by Megan Flynn on February 21, 2012 at 11:31am: To be clear, this was posted for fun on a Friday afternoon. I have no interest in burning a bridge, but I have to admit it annoyed the hell out of me - perhaps being that I am a recent college graduate and this is approximately the 100th email I have gotten like this since I graduated. At some point, it gets old. I too, of course, have made mistakes (and God knows I will make more) but these people are clearly not "accidentally" sending these emails, they are throwing something up against a wall hoping it will stick.

I am not sure anyone could be described as being "catty," since this website is intended for recruiters to share their stories, both good and bad, and relate to one another, as well as learn from each other. Sometimes we post something just to vent or bitch to people who will understand our frustration. And, if nothing else, this post was intended to HELP anyone reading it so no one else makes these mistakes.

Quite honestly, I have no interest in working in Pennsylvania, in the medical field, or with someone who couldn't be prudent enough to double check her email before sending it.

Comment by Sandra McCartt on February 21, 2012 at 11:32am: Lol, you guys would give a telemarketer ,who called you during dinner , your best friends number and ask them to call you back for more referrals.

Comment by Sandra McCartt on February 21, 2012 at 11:36am: Don't forget that your email address was picked up by an Internet bot. The people sending these have no idea who you are. They are blasting to a huge list.

Comment by Amy Ala Miller on February 21, 2012 at 11:42am: Well said Megan! As far as burning a bridge with dear colleague Kathy... I prefer to keep my network small and effective. If that makes me catty for refusing to sully my network by responding kindly to such spam, well, meow. :)

Comment by Sandra McCartt on February 21, 2012 at 11:43am: @Megan, of course it was irritating. It was as you say throwing it against the wall and after hundreds of these sent to lists of people who recently graduated the person who has their name on it has lost credibility. It is not a mistake it is a marketing scam. A good recruiter does not do this stuff. Period.

Comment by Elise Reynolds on February 21, 2012 at 11:51am: I would say something (diplomatic) to this Kathy because if you are on some distribution list you don't want to keep getting emails on a topic you have no interest.

Comment by Sandra McCartt on February 21, 2012 at 12:28pm: I am totaly amazed that anybody would think these names are real. The odds are about 99 to 1 that this is a phony email, Kathy does not exist. It is an email address set up to see if they get any result from a spam blast. Not in terms of email responses but anyone calling or emailing direct.

When you get an email from a Nigerian prince who wants to get his family fortune out of some third world country do you think you should write a diplomatic response? Do you really think that the Nigerian prince knows who you are and has you on their list to network with ..uh , not unless you respond giving him your bank account number.

You would be responding to a bot generated email address , responses probably not read other than to confirm that your email is a working email which would generate more emails thrown against the wall. Think people. Real people do not spam the world. Any response would probably not be read in the first place so you might as well vent some spleen in the event that somebody might be monitoring the responses. Good grief, have we become so narcissistic that we think every email we get is sent to us by someone who has any clue who we are and feel a need to be "nice".

This is right up there with setting up phony profiles on social sites so recruiters can contact people en masse without revealing who they really are. Think of "Kathy" as the Nigerian Princess of Recruiting. Don't honor this kind of spam with anything but a blast back or hit the delete key and notify your ISP of spam mail.