Random things of a random world

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Recruiters. Again.

I once again have received messages from recruiters around Europe. The lack of quality, reading comprehension etc baffles me completely. Just because of that I'll actually mention companies, so maybe someone will learn something.

I really don't understand why recruiters think it's ok to waste people's time. Do they really think they'll get someone if they just pester enough people? Like spammers? I'd like to hear from the recruiters also. What is the modus operandi? Why?

I can give you a hint: in general developers don't like to be bothered. We don't like vague emails. We don't like "super cool" stuff. We like to be told what you are doing, what you're offering and any other pertinent information. That's enough to start. We can make a decision then. We don't need to be told how something is "super cool" or "exciting", we will decide that. If something is super cool to you, it very much might be the most boring thing for me. Would you like me to tell you what is super cool and not rather ask you if you think it is or not? Simple things.

Alliance for Recruitement

I got an email offering a position in mobile payments. "Super cool" app, they say. This email was quite ok. It had a link to the position, some links to information about the product they're looking developers for etc. Not a bad thing.

I replied saying that I don't think this is "super cool" and I don't want to work in banks, startups or especially in "startups within banks." Thought that was quite clear.

Then I receive an email from another person in the same company. They explained that they got my contact info from the first person and wanted to contact me. And this is what they start with (remember what I just replied to the first person):

I would like to present one position for you. It is not a start-up (but feels like that re atmosphere and way of working), also it is not bank (but applications they create integrate into different banking systems, so still you would hear a word „bank“ while not actually working in the bank). So why not give it a chance and I hope you will like what you will read.

So. It's still a "startup within a bank", doing only bank things, for a bank. How on Earth did they think that saying this to me after what I just wrote would make me think differently?

They also told the company's idea is to "create applications that are important to people's lives." There is an example: a website that you can check apartment prices, your income and check what kind of a loan you can get.

I know what you're thinking: that's been done for years, if not decades already. And you'd be right. I have no idea how their website is better than the others. I don't know if it is. But I have no idea how this would be an "exciting" job for me. It might be for someone, but not for me.

Then they explain why I should be interested:

Quality of the applications, freedom and ownership, communication with DK colleagues. Other applications are in a piloting version, there is space for the contribution.

Whoa. So, they have quality and there's even communication to another country! Whoa. I've never communicated with anyone abroad. That's really interesting.

The people they are looking for:

Optimistic, innovative, open for new ideas, a team person, creative, the one that believes in agile and is agile

Yeah, I'm realistic, innovative, open for new ideas, can work in a team and always support team members. I don't care about agile or non-agile per se. I do believe in some of the principles, but there are 384937459843 different kinds of "agile" out there, so I might not fit their definition.

There is also more detailed info. That's again a good thing! I don't have to hunt for details or ask questions immediately. But there on the first row of the info:

Would you like to be a part of a start-up team within a bank?

No, I would not. I've told the recruiters this already. Even my LinkedIn profile and some other recruitment profiles say that I'm not interested in the finance sector. It should be quite clear.

It is a development house with a purpose to disrupt traditional banking and deliver innovative IT solutions directly to customers. The idea is that in all likelihood banking, as we know it will not exist in 10 years. Hence, we are a relatively small, super agile, “no-titles” team working to discover new ways banks can relate to their customers.

Yeah. Completely about banking. Banking all the way. Not for me, thanks.

I of course replied to them, explaining again that I do not want to be offered these positions in this company, or any bank. I got a reply:

As only you knew what these guys create or if only you could read between the lines your stereotypes would go far away. Good luck in this agile tech world! Personally me won't disturb you anymore.

So, I should "read between the lines" to know what "super cool" stuff they're doing? Nobody can tell me directly? And I don't have stereotypes about things. I know banking doesn't interest me. It doesn't change a bit from calling it cool or working in small teams "disrupting" something. It's all a bunch of BS talk trying to make something uninteresting look "cool." It doesn't work for me.

Hope they find someone who thinks it's cool. They seem to have positions open all the time and I'm not sure if it's because they are growing or because they can't find anyone interested. Or need to fill in people who have left. Would be interesting to hear from someone working there, but don't know anyone.

Opus

I got an email from Amsterdam. They found my profile on Monster and wanted to ask me if I would be interested in a job there. And all the information available is:

As an experienced .NET Developer you will be joining a specialised digital creativity company, where you will able to show your creative flare daily. Their office is based in the heart of Amsterdam, which is easily accessible by public transport. You will be joining a small, successful team where you will be given the chance to work not only on the back end, but also the front end and mobile technologies.

 What would you like?

  • To work with mobile technologies
  • Work in an international environment
  • Great location
  • Competitive Salary

So, what would the job be? No information about the line of business even. "A specialised digital creativity company" says nothing to me. What does that do? Create special digital.... stuff? How can anyone reply anything positive to this? "Yes, I'm interested in this nondescript unknown job in a different country of which I have no idea about. Please send me a contract"?

I sent them a reply saying I find this very poor recruitment style not telling anything about the actual job and that I could very well reply "Yes, I can do something for a lot of money" to keep it as vague as they did. Was slightly irritated since I receive these emails from time to time and they're a complete waste of everyone's time.

I got a reply explaining that they didn't tell much because they just wanted to see if I was interested in a new role. Hmm. Let's see. My Monster profile says I am. That should be enough. And if you do send me an inquiry, then at least give me the necessary information immediately. At least the line of business so I can immediately say no if it's something that doesn't interest me, or definitely reply if it's something I am interested in.

So, they sent more information in the second email. Now I know the line of business, know that I would have to relocate to Amsterdam and some other information. I can easily say "no, I'm not interested" due to relocation and the business being not particularly interesting to me. I could've done this immediately if the information was presented in the first email. They would have gotten a reply immediately and could've moved to the next candidate.

As I said, time wasted.

I've also written about recruitment previously.

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