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July 29, 2006

Biting the Hand That Feeds

Like HR Guy, I'm surprised at the comments made on Ragan's recent recruiting.com post about networking. Ragan contacted a current Google employee looking to make contact and add him to her network. His reponse was "TAKE MY NAME OFF YOUR LIST." She reports receiving a similar reaction from a number of Google employees.

Most of the commenters on her post seem focused on whether recruiters are always honest about their intentions. To me that misses the point.

In this day and age, I think it's the height of arrogance (and ignorance) to assume you don't need a relationship with as many recruiters as possible. None of those people will be working at Google until they retire, and at some point they will be looking for a new position.

It wouldn't have taken much longer to type a polite response, and it could have resulted in a great job 10 years from now, or a connection that ultimately helped a friend or family member get their next opportunity.

Are recruiters often selfish? Yes of course! They're trying to make a living. Do they sometimes fudge the truth when approaching candidates? Absolutely! But when you need a new job, it's always nice to know you can pick up the phone and contact people who actually, you know, have vacancies to fill.

Cross-posted at Career Hub

Posted by Louise at July 29, 2006 05:36 PM