The policy in our company is all employee referrals get a phone call, regardless of qualifications, and I follow that policy.  Because I am so dedicated to this particular policy, I have come across this most recent employment nightmare.

Let me preface this story by reminding everybody that my voicemail actually says, “Hi this is Ryan… leave your name, phone number, and a brief message and I will get back to you within 48 hours.  Thanks <beep>”

12/21 1247pm: Call applicant.  Leave voicemail.

12/21 113pm: Receive voicemail from applicant.

12/21 330pm: Applicant calls the front desk and is forwarded to my voicemail (remember 48hrs).

12/22 1010am: Receive voicemail from applicant.

12/23 134pm:  Receive voicemail from applicant. (At this point, I am creeped out and quite deterred from calling the applicant back)

12/23 201pm: Receive voicemail from applicant.

12/23 222pm: Receive voicemail from applicant.

12/23 3pm: Receive voicemail from applicant.

12/27 1113am: Receive voicemail from applicant.  This was forwarded from the front desk.  (At this point, she receptionist is called the applicant a stalker).

12/28 830am: Receive voicemail from applicant.

12/29 245pm: Receive voicemail from applicant.

1/3 1047am: Receive voicemail from applicant.

1/3 1052am: Receive voicemail from applicant.

1/4 117pm: Receive voicemail from applicant.

(I have calmed my frustration enough to return her calls within 48hrs of the last call, of course)

1/5 1023am: Call applicant.  No answer, leave voice mail. (Ugh!!)

1/11 1157am: Still no response for the applicant.

Now let’s be clear, I am not a telephone operator.  I am full service recruiter for an organization with over 700 employees.  I screen applicants, schedule interviews, interview applicants, run background checks, follow up with managers, post positions, run my own ads, and process all new hire paperwork.  And most recruiters in my line of work do the same thing, so we don’t always have time to return phone calls right away, especially when I need to check my voice mail every 15 minutes because you called me again.  The moral of the story is to follow directions; leave a message and allow me to call you back.  Otherwise, your perceived enthusiasm will likely be perceived as lunacy and you will not get an opportunity.  Don't be a "stalkah".

Ryan