Call for Mr. Hole, First Name: Jack

Here’s the recruiting scenario:

An executive search firm principal (let’s call him Jack) searches for and sources potential prospects via LinkedIn

Jack finds and contacts a potential prospect (let’s call her Jenny) through inMail

In his inMail message Jack introduces himself, his search firm, and briefly describes his client’s opportunity to Jenny

Jenny politely replies to Jack that she would be open to discussing the opportunity and provides her contact info and availability for a call

Jack calls Jenny the next day and leaves a voicemail and also emails her the official job description

Jenny is unable to return the call by end of day (for Jack’s time zone – 3 hours ahead), so she emails Jack to thank him for the additional information and let him know her availability for a call the next day

The following day, Jack replies to Jenny’s email and requests her resume

Jenny thinks Jack is a JackHole

Jenny’s recap (recruiter rant) of the scenario:

Resume THIS you typical jerkface recruiter! You found me on LinkedIn, liked what you saw enough to contact me, presumably to speak with me, so why do you suddenly need a resume in order to do that?

Don’t jack me around Jack!

(BTW: Jenny's LI profile is comprehensive, so her resume would be redundant at this stage)

Comment by Matt Charney on July 24, 2014 at 8:19pm: Sounds like a Jack off.

Comment by Nicholas Meyler on July 25, 2014 at 2:29am: I laugh at people like that because they don't know how inadequate LinkedIn actually is, and what about the need to tailor a resume for an opportunity? So Jenny thinks that 'one size fits all'? I doubt it. I think Jennie's head is too big to wear any hats, whatsoever... constantly expanding in diameter like a supernova. Candidates like this I put on my 'mentally ill' list. If they don't want to cooperate enough with me to get a job or an interview, then they are 'management challenges' that I would like to toss in the circular file... 'bottom of the barrel' candidates, unless they get their heads on straight, and pronto!

Comment by Tim Spagnola on July 25, 2014 at 8:27am: Don’t jack me around Jack! <- add to the T-shirt idea thread. Have a great Friday Kelly.

Comment by Pete Radloff on July 25, 2014 at 8:29am: This was the best choice I could have made to start my friday. Thank you.

Comment by Derdiver on July 25, 2014 at 9:41am: Just a thought. Try tailoring your recruiting style to the candidate you are reaching out to. This is not, nor will it ever be. a 9-5 job. We have two customers ALL the time.The client and the would be applicant. AFTER you have spoken with the person THEN ask for a resume. Frankly, any recruiter that would be this arrogant is truly useless. Well not really it is what sets me apart from most recruiters out there. When you think that you are more important then the people you are working with is when you should go into used car sales. Just my opinion. Great Friday read Kelly. I would Pin this but there is not an option for that. ;)

Comment by Pete Radloff on July 25, 2014 at 9:43am: MOAR PINS!!

Comment by Alejandro Guzman Acha on July 25, 2014 at 10:02am: Better you find out about a volatile candidate up front, rather than late in the game. If something innocuous like a request for the actual resume is that upsetting, sounds like you dodged a bullet, and that's a fact - Jack.

Comment by Sandra McCartt on July 25, 2014 at 12:13pm: Recruiters never fail to amaze me. You email a person who has no clue who you are, ask them for personal information before they have had a chance to hear what you are selling and you think THEY are mentally ill or volatile.

Try this you arrogant idiots. A guy from the local car dealership calls you, says he has a new car in that you might be interested in, you email him back back and say ,"hey I might be, call me tomorrow and let's talk". He says , "great, send me a copy of your driver's license and current insurance policy so I have it before I call you".

My profile is public information, neither my resume nor my DL is sent to anybody before I know if I want them to have it. Don't forget who is buying and whom is selling you jack wagons. Who the hell do you think you are, the only person on the planet who has a job listing.

Good call out Kelly!

Comment by Pete Radloff on July 25, 2014 at 12:21pm: Sandra,

I think going the "idiots" route is a gross generalization, and probably the reason most people stop reading comments right about HERE. PErhaps you can offer solutions, rather than just cutting people down. Seems to me that's how we could all help each other, rather than stay combative. But hey, if it's working for you, don't let us idiots get in the way.

Good recruiters don't need a resume (much to Derek's point) in order to have a conversation. You can always get that later. Unless of course the person has a barren online profile. In which case, I'm probably not reaching out anyway.

Happy Friday all, let's stay positive.

Comment by Alejandro Guzman Acha on July 25, 2014 at 1:02pm: Pete,

Really? A barren online profile is often a sign of a great candidate IMHO. The whole passive candidate thing often revolves around finding people who have a pretty anemic online presence, or a hidden footprint. Asking for a resume, to me, is hardly a personal inquiry since its designed to be a public marketing document.

Regarding other points made...

If you feel you're sharing too much private info on the resume why not try having an email address that is dedicated to the resume and its inquiries, a Google Voice number, and simply listing city and state or town perhaps?

Or you can simply state "I don't share my resume until later in the process, my online profile should prove sufficient for our initial conversation." without lambasting a party who has taken an interest in your career.

Of course then you need to make sure your profile is indeed accurate if you want to be taken seriously.

No one is asking you for sensitive data when they are asking for a resume, they are asking for verifiable, quantifiable data.

If I have contacted you already and you expressed even mild interest, but we haven't spoken fully yet, wouldn't I be remiss if I didn't try to get the most accurate professional information I could prior to a call? Online profiles can be faked or fudged, or simply out of date. A resume is expected to be accurate no? Can you think of a better way for me to be a SME on a candidate in advance of a lengthier conversation?