Stupidest recruitment consultant - ever?
Nov 8th 2006, 5:01 am
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Brisbane 'burbs
Posts: 1,690
Stupidest recruitment consultant - ever?
I would like to share with you my recent experience with a Sydney based recruitment consultant, who specialises in marketing roles. Thankfully I only wasted 60 minutes on her, admittedly time which could have been spent on a more worthwhile occupation - such as picking my nose.
Anyhow...
I saw an ad for a job being recruited through her agency, thought it looked okay, so sent my cv off. She rings me up, says she remembers seeing me a few years back (ie she's got me on file). So it's all going well, but then it goes weird...
She starts talking about the phone conversation we had the other day. This is news to me, I must have blocked it from my memory
. She tells me that the client can't match what I was hoping for, they can only pay 105k package (fantastic!). 'Hmmm, that sounds fine' I say - 'But that's quite a drop for you from 120k' she says - 'Hmmm hmmm hmmm' says me, trying not to incriminate myself by claiming a higher salary than I'm currently paid. I start to wonder what job she thinks I've sent my cv off for. But too late, I've already agreed to come and see her.
Call her today about the odd phone conversation yesterday, and my apparent $120k salary expections. Explain I think she has confused me with another candidate. She admits she may have done, as there are a lot of chels chels in Sydney. Amazingly, the other chels chels has worked for the exact same companies as I have.
I arrive for interview. She admits to bringing the wrong file to the meeting. Introduces to agency head honcho, who recruits people on $120k and above. He calls me Claire. She realises she has briefed him on the wrong person, and the wrong file she has with her is the wrong wrong file.
She returns with correct file. Head honcho looks at my CV, asks what salary I'm on, is clearly disappointed, and he promptly exits.
I tell the recruitment consultant about what I do. She asks me about what government lobbying I do. I explain that people lobby the organisation I work for - that being the government.
End of meeting, she tells me I should relax and smile more from the start as I don't come across very friendly. Bit hard to relax when you're meant to have been "Claire". Then tells me I should be more organised in my answers about my work experience. Again, hard to do when it turns out the job is not what was implied in the advertisement.
Anyhow...
I saw an ad for a job being recruited through her agency, thought it looked okay, so sent my cv off. She rings me up, says she remembers seeing me a few years back (ie she's got me on file). So it's all going well, but then it goes weird...
She starts talking about the phone conversation we had the other day. This is news to me, I must have blocked it from my memory
. She tells me that the client can't match what I was hoping for, they can only pay 105k package (fantastic!). 'Hmmm, that sounds fine' I say - 'But that's quite a drop for you from 120k' she says - 'Hmmm hmmm hmmm' says me, trying not to incriminate myself by claiming a higher salary than I'm currently paid. I start to wonder what job she thinks I've sent my cv off for. But too late, I've already agreed to come and see her.Call her today about the odd phone conversation yesterday, and my apparent $120k salary expections. Explain I think she has confused me with another candidate. She admits she may have done, as there are a lot of chels chels in Sydney. Amazingly, the other chels chels has worked for the exact same companies as I have.
I arrive for interview. She admits to bringing the wrong file to the meeting. Introduces to agency head honcho, who recruits people on $120k and above. He calls me Claire. She realises she has briefed him on the wrong person, and the wrong file she has with her is the wrong wrong file.
She returns with correct file. Head honcho looks at my CV, asks what salary I'm on, is clearly disappointed, and he promptly exits.
I tell the recruitment consultant about what I do. She asks me about what government lobbying I do. I explain that people lobby the organisation I work for - that being the government.
End of meeting, she tells me I should relax and smile more from the start as I don't come across very friendly. Bit hard to relax when you're meant to have been "Claire". Then tells me I should be more organised in my answers about my work experience. Again, hard to do when it turns out the job is not what was implied in the advertisement.
Nov 8th 2006, 5:08 am
#2
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 10,158
Re: Stupidest recruitment consultant - ever?
What a twit! 
I wonder how she got her job? Did they recruit her from Mc Donalds?
I wonder how she got her job? Did they recruit her from Mc Donalds?
Nov 8th 2006, 5:09 am
#3
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2004
Location: Perth N.O.R.
Posts: 83
Re: Stupidest recruitment consultant - ever?
So there is a Twighlight Zone, thought that was all T.V. mumbo jumbo
Nov 8th 2006, 5:17 am
#4
Made the move -
Joined: Apr 2004
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 2,910
Re: Stupidest recruitment consultant - ever?
Originally Posted by chels
I would like to share with you my recent experience with a Sydney based recruitment consultant, who specialises in marketing roles. Thankfully I only wasted 60 minutes on her, admittedly time which could have been spent on a more worthwhile occupation - such as picking my nose.
Anyhow...
I saw an ad for a job being recruited through her agency, thought it looked okay, so sent my cv off. She rings me up, says she remembers seeing me a few years back (ie she's got me on file). So it's all going well, but then it goes weird...
She starts talking about the phone conversation we had the other day. This is news to me, I must have blocked it from my memory . She tells me that the client can't match what I was hoping for, they can only pay 105k package (fantastic!). 'Hmmm, that sounds fine' I say - 'But that's quite a drop for you from 120k' she says - 'Hmmm hmmm hmmm' says me, trying not to incriminate myself by claiming a higher salary than I'm currently paid. I start to wonder what job she thinks I've sent my cv off for. But too late, I've already agreed to come and see her.
Call her today about the odd phone conversation yesterday, and my apparent $120k salary expections. Explain I think she has confused me with another candidate. She admits she may have done, as there are a lot of chels chels in Sydney. Amazingly, the other chels chels has worked for the exact same companies as I have.
I arrive for interview. She admits to bringing the wrong file to the meeting. Introduces to agency head honcho, who recruits people on $120k and above. He calls me Claire. She realises she has briefed him on the wrong person, and the wrong file she has with her is the wrong wrong file.
She returns with correct file. Head honcho looks at my CV, asks what salary I'm on, is clearly disappointed, and he promptly exits.
I tell the recruitment consultant about what I do. She asks me about what government lobbying I do. I explain that people lobby the organisation I work for - that being the government.
End of meeting, she tells me I should relax and smile more from the start as I don't come across very friendly. Bit hard to relax when you're meant to have been "Claire". Then tells me I should be more organised in my answers about my work experience. Again, hard to do when it turns out the job is not what was implied in the advertisement.
Anyhow...
I saw an ad for a job being recruited through her agency, thought it looked okay, so sent my cv off. She rings me up, says she remembers seeing me a few years back (ie she's got me on file). So it's all going well, but then it goes weird...
She starts talking about the phone conversation we had the other day. This is news to me, I must have blocked it from my memory
. She tells me that the client can't match what I was hoping for, they can only pay 105k package (fantastic!). 'Hmmm, that sounds fine' I say - 'But that's quite a drop for you from 120k' she says - 'Hmmm hmmm hmmm' says me, trying not to incriminate myself by claiming a higher salary than I'm currently paid. I start to wonder what job she thinks I've sent my cv off for. But too late, I've already agreed to come and see her.Call her today about the odd phone conversation yesterday, and my apparent $120k salary expections. Explain I think she has confused me with another candidate. She admits she may have done, as there are a lot of chels chels in Sydney. Amazingly, the other chels chels has worked for the exact same companies as I have.
I arrive for interview. She admits to bringing the wrong file to the meeting. Introduces to agency head honcho, who recruits people on $120k and above. He calls me Claire. She realises she has briefed him on the wrong person, and the wrong file she has with her is the wrong wrong file.
She returns with correct file. Head honcho looks at my CV, asks what salary I'm on, is clearly disappointed, and he promptly exits.
I tell the recruitment consultant about what I do. She asks me about what government lobbying I do. I explain that people lobby the organisation I work for - that being the government.
End of meeting, she tells me I should relax and smile more from the start as I don't come across very friendly. Bit hard to relax when you're meant to have been "Claire". Then tells me I should be more organised in my answers about my work experience. Again, hard to do when it turns out the job is not what was implied in the advertisement.
Good on you for staying calm, i think i would have lost it !!!!
fee x
Nov 8th 2006, 6:55 am
#5
In my own little world!
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Sydney
Posts: 2,062
Re: Stupidest recruitment consultant - ever?
Originally Posted by chels
I would like to share with you my recent experience with a Sydney based recruitment consultant, who specialises in marketing roles. Thankfully I only wasted 60 minutes on her, admittedly time which could have been spent on a more worthwhile occupation - such as picking my nose.
Anyhow...
I saw an ad for a job being recruited through her agency, thought it looked okay, so sent my cv off. She rings me up, says she remembers seeing me a few years back (ie she's got me on file). So it's all going well, but then it goes weird...
She starts talking about the phone conversation we had the other day. This is news to me, I must have blocked it from my memory . She tells me that the client can't match what I was hoping for, they can only pay 105k package (fantastic!). 'Hmmm, that sounds fine' I say - 'But that's quite a drop for you from 120k' she says - 'Hmmm hmmm hmmm' says me, trying not to incriminate myself by claiming a higher salary than I'm currently paid. I start to wonder what job she thinks I've sent my cv off for. But too late, I've already agreed to come and see her.
Call her today about the odd phone conversation yesterday, and my apparent $120k salary expections. Explain I think she has confused me with another candidate. She admits she may have done, as there are a lot of chels chels in Sydney. Amazingly, the other chels chels has worked for the exact same companies as I have.
I arrive for interview. She admits to bringing the wrong file to the meeting. Introduces to agency head honcho, who recruits people on $120k and above. He calls me Claire. She realises she has briefed him on the wrong person, and the wrong file she has with her is the wrong wrong file.
She returns with correct file. Head honcho looks at my CV, asks what salary I'm on, is clearly disappointed, and he promptly exits.
I tell the recruitment consultant about what I do. She asks me about what government lobbying I do. I explain that people lobby the organisation I work for - that being the government.
End of meeting, she tells me I should relax and smile more from the start as I don't come across very friendly. Bit hard to relax when you're meant to have been "Claire". Then tells me I should be more organised in my answers about my work experience. Again, hard to do when it turns out the job is not what was implied in the advertisement.
Anyhow...
I saw an ad for a job being recruited through her agency, thought it looked okay, so sent my cv off. She rings me up, says she remembers seeing me a few years back (ie she's got me on file). So it's all going well, but then it goes weird...
She starts talking about the phone conversation we had the other day. This is news to me, I must have blocked it from my memory
. She tells me that the client can't match what I was hoping for, they can only pay 105k package (fantastic!). 'Hmmm, that sounds fine' I say - 'But that's quite a drop for you from 120k' she says - 'Hmmm hmmm hmmm' says me, trying not to incriminate myself by claiming a higher salary than I'm currently paid. I start to wonder what job she thinks I've sent my cv off for. But too late, I've already agreed to come and see her.Call her today about the odd phone conversation yesterday, and my apparent $120k salary expections. Explain I think she has confused me with another candidate. She admits she may have done, as there are a lot of chels chels in Sydney. Amazingly, the other chels chels has worked for the exact same companies as I have.
I arrive for interview. She admits to bringing the wrong file to the meeting. Introduces to agency head honcho, who recruits people on $120k and above. He calls me Claire. She realises she has briefed him on the wrong person, and the wrong file she has with her is the wrong wrong file.
She returns with correct file. Head honcho looks at my CV, asks what salary I'm on, is clearly disappointed, and he promptly exits.
I tell the recruitment consultant about what I do. She asks me about what government lobbying I do. I explain that people lobby the organisation I work for - that being the government.
End of meeting, she tells me I should relax and smile more from the start as I don't come across very friendly. Bit hard to relax when you're meant to have been "Claire". Then tells me I should be more organised in my answers about my work experience. Again, hard to do when it turns out the job is not what was implied in the advertisement.
Recruitment Consultants do seem to achieve new levels of thickness previously unknown to normal man. Reminds me of an agent I met once who called me by the wrong name throughout our meeting, couldn't maintain eye contact (except on my legs) and finally shared his words of wisdom with me - that I should wear my (at that time) long blonde hair up for interviews!
Nicky
Nov 8th 2006, 7:05 am
#6
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2005
Location: Mornington
Posts: 1,650
Re: Stupidest recruitment consultant - ever?
Hi
I have said this before. All recruitment staff should be whipped, tarred and feathered then hung drawn and quartered, whats left should be put up against a wall a shot.
but then again this might be too good for them
I have said this before. All recruitment staff should be whipped, tarred and feathered then hung drawn and quartered, whats left should be put up against a wall a shot.
but then again this might be too good for them
Nov 8th 2006, 7:33 am
#7
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,940
Re: Stupidest recruitment consultant - ever?
Absolutely shocking! Hope all works out for you.
Nov 8th 2006, 9:10 am
#8
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Darwin, NT
Posts: 380
Re: Stupidest recruitment consultant - ever?
Originally Posted by jond
Hi
I have said this before. All recruitment staff should be whipped, tarred and feathered then hung drawn and quartered, whats left should be put up against a wall a shot.
but then again this might be too good for them
I have said this before. All recruitment staff should be whipped, tarred and feathered then hung drawn and quartered, whats left should be put up against a wall a shot.
but then again this might be too good for them
Nov 8th 2006, 10:31 am
#9
Suncream, I need suncream
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 1,316
Re: Stupidest recruitment consultant - ever?
Originally Posted by chels
I would like to share with you my recent experience with a Sydney based recruitment consultant, who specialises in marketing roles. Thankfully I only wasted 60 minutes on her, admittedly time which could have been spent on a more worthwhile occupation - such as picking my nose.
Anyhow...
I saw an ad for a job being recruited through her agency, thought it looked okay, so sent my cv off. She rings me up, says she remembers seeing me a few years back (ie she's got me on file). So it's all going well, but then it goes weird...
She starts talking about the phone conversation we had the other day. This is news to me, I must have blocked it from my memory . She tells me that the client can't match what I was hoping for, they can only pay 105k package (fantastic!). 'Hmmm, that sounds fine' I say - 'But that's quite a drop for you from 120k' she says - 'Hmmm hmmm hmmm' says me, trying not to incriminate myself by claiming a higher salary than I'm currently paid. I start to wonder what job she thinks I've sent my cv off for. But too late, I've already agreed to come and see her.
Call her today about the odd phone conversation yesterday, and my apparent $120k salary expections. Explain I think she has confused me with another candidate. She admits she may have done, as there are a lot of chels chels in Sydney. Amazingly, the other chels chels has worked for the exact same companies as I have.
I arrive for interview. She admits to bringing the wrong file to the meeting. Introduces to agency head honcho, who recruits people on $120k and above. He calls me Claire. She realises she has briefed him on the wrong person, and the wrong file she has with her is the wrong wrong file.
She returns with correct file. Head honcho looks at my CV, asks what salary I'm on, is clearly disappointed, and he promptly exits.
I tell the recruitment consultant about what I do. She asks me about what government lobbying I do. I explain that people lobby the organisation I work for - that being the government.
End of meeting, she tells me I should relax and smile more from the start as I don't come across very friendly. Bit hard to relax when you're meant to have been "Claire". Then tells me I should be more organised in my answers about my work experience. Again, hard to do when it turns out the job is not what was implied in the advertisement.
Anyhow...
I saw an ad for a job being recruited through her agency, thought it looked okay, so sent my cv off. She rings me up, says she remembers seeing me a few years back (ie she's got me on file). So it's all going well, but then it goes weird...
She starts talking about the phone conversation we had the other day. This is news to me, I must have blocked it from my memory
. She tells me that the client can't match what I was hoping for, they can only pay 105k package (fantastic!). 'Hmmm, that sounds fine' I say - 'But that's quite a drop for you from 120k' she says - 'Hmmm hmmm hmmm' says me, trying not to incriminate myself by claiming a higher salary than I'm currently paid. I start to wonder what job she thinks I've sent my cv off for. But too late, I've already agreed to come and see her.Call her today about the odd phone conversation yesterday, and my apparent $120k salary expections. Explain I think she has confused me with another candidate. She admits she may have done, as there are a lot of chels chels in Sydney. Amazingly, the other chels chels has worked for the exact same companies as I have.
I arrive for interview. She admits to bringing the wrong file to the meeting. Introduces to agency head honcho, who recruits people on $120k and above. He calls me Claire. She realises she has briefed him on the wrong person, and the wrong file she has with her is the wrong wrong file.
She returns with correct file. Head honcho looks at my CV, asks what salary I'm on, is clearly disappointed, and he promptly exits.
I tell the recruitment consultant about what I do. She asks me about what government lobbying I do. I explain that people lobby the organisation I work for - that being the government.
End of meeting, she tells me I should relax and smile more from the start as I don't come across very friendly. Bit hard to relax when you're meant to have been "Claire". Then tells me I should be more organised in my answers about my work experience. Again, hard to do when it turns out the job is not what was implied in the advertisement.
Goodbye!!Graham
Nov 8th 2006, 6:32 pm
#10
A rather curious boy
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 5,917
Re: Stupidest recruitment consultant - ever?
Originally Posted by jond
Hi
I have said this before. All recruitment staff should be whipped, tarred and feathered then hung drawn and quartered, whats left should be put up against a wall a shot.
but then again this might be too good for them
I have said this before. All recruitment staff should be whipped, tarred and feathered then hung drawn and quartered, whats left should be put up against a wall a shot.
but then again this might be too good for them
Agree with this wholeheartedly but can I add....and have their nasal hairs plucked out one by one with blunt tweezers
Nov 8th 2006, 8:14 pm
#11
shoot from the hip,baby
Joined: Mar 2006
Location: Uk
Posts: 1,405
Re: Stupidest recruitment consultant - ever?
Chels,
Realising my vibes were correct and that I indeed did not trust or like the twit in the first place, I may have decided to play along as "Claire" and seen how far I got. It'd kill an hour or so. May have even bagged myself the job! I'm an expert blagger.
I really hope you told her where to get off when she told you to smile more.
Sounds like she saw herself as doing you the favour! What a strumpet.
*pearly*
Realising my vibes were correct and that I indeed did not trust or like the twit in the first place, I may have decided to play along as "Claire" and seen how far I got. It'd kill an hour or so. May have even bagged myself the job! I'm an expert blagger.
I really hope you told her where to get off when she told you to smile more.
Sounds like she saw herself as doing you the favour! What a strumpet.
*pearly*
Nov 8th 2006, 8:47 pm
#12
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: Stupidest recruitment consultant - ever?
Many of us make mistakes that stem from a routine muddle like that every day in our working lives. The difference is that most of us get to press delete before someone else notices.
She won't be the last and not the first.
I get confused keeping up with the agents/jobs myself.
She won't be the last and not the first.
I get confused keeping up with the agents/jobs myself.
Nov 8th 2006, 9:35 pm
#13
Mozzie magnet
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Brisbane 'burbs
Posts: 1,690
Re: Stupidest recruitment consultant - ever?
Originally Posted by BadgeIsBack
Many of us make mistakes that stem from a routine muddle like that every day in our working lives. The difference is that most of us get to press delete before someone else notices.
She won't be the last and not the first.
I get confused keeping up with the agents/jobs myself.
She won't be the last and not the first.
I get confused keeping up with the agents/jobs myself.
Here are some more anecedotes about her emailed to me by friends who have been unfortunate to have met her too:
Friend 1: she did almost the same thing to me. She suggested I was probably on about the right salary, given what I do... She then realised that she had no idea what I do - or who I was. She had the wrong file (which was somehow my fault - "no, you're {insert wrong name and work at x company}". When I had convinced her I was me, and had given her the spare CV I'd brought (having been forewarned) she told me she'd never seen this CV before, didn't manage government contracts, couldn't remember even speaking to me two days before to set up the interview, (which was for 7.45am, but she still managed to be 20 minutes late) but would phone me back within two days with a short-list of opportunities. This was about 12 months ago now. I'm still waiting. Mind you, she may well have rung 'me' back several times - although god knows who she might have spoken to while looking at my cv...
Friend 2: I remember her well. She cancelled our meeting just as I was about to walk out the door (this was after I'd ironed my clothes, washed my hair and made numerous other efforts to look presentable). Had to do it all again the next day (and early in the morning too). To add insult to injury, I rock up and she says she doesn't have my cv (of course, I'd sent it to her but she couldn't be bothered or organised enough to print it out). So the whole thing was a waste of time and I haven't heard from the silly cow since.
Nov 8th 2006, 9:43 pm
#14
Mozzie magnet
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Brisbane 'burbs
Posts: 1,690
Re: Stupidest recruitment consultant - ever?
Originally Posted by onepearlyb
Chels,
Realising my vibes were correct and that I indeed did not trust or like the twit in the first place, I may have decided to play along as "Claire" and seen how far I got. It'd kill an hour or so. May have even bagged myself the job! I'm an expert blagger.
I really hope you told her where to get off when she told you to smile more.
Sounds like she saw herself as doing you the favour! What a strumpet.
*pearly*
Realising my vibes were correct and that I indeed did not trust or like the twit in the first place, I may have decided to play along as "Claire" and seen how far I got. It'd kill an hour or so. May have even bagged myself the job! I'm an expert blagger.
I really hope you told her where to get off when she told you to smile more.
Sounds like she saw herself as doing you the favour! What a strumpet.
*pearly*
I was talking about it later with OH and he had the impression she was a silly bit of inexperienced fluff. But no, the woman is in her late 40s at least and has been around for a while now it seems.
jond and busterboy - hey, be careful what you say about recruitment consultants - my OH is one! He's absolutely brilliant of course, calls people up to keep them updated on things, tries to match them with the right job, even used to let them ring him out of office hours on his personal mobile (I put a stop to that one). He gets gifts from former candidates, thanking him for finding him jobs.
He's always suprised when he hears me tales of incompetency - because he isn't like that himself he can't imagine others being that unprofessional. A few (well, a lot in my experience) bad apples in the recruitment industry, spoiling the reputation for the rest of them.
He's also said that the recruitment industry is better run in the UK
That's why the Australian company he now works for were so keen for him to come to Australia and work for him
Nov 8th 2006, 9:45 pm
#15
A rather curious boy
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 5,917
Re: Stupidest recruitment consultant - ever?
jond and busterboy - hey, be careful what you say about recruitment consultants - my OH is one! He's absolutely brilliant of course, calls people up to keep them updated on things, tries to match them with the right job
I call them Flesh Sellers
I call them Flesh Sellers