Treating candidates like s%!t

[Contractoid]

Not too long ago I remember an accepted way of treating candidates who attend interviews with a hiring decision outcome. Not written down or a general policy, just an accepted way of behaving treating people with professional courtesy If its not a positive outcome its either an outright no or you are a secondary candidate back up if the primary choice falls through. What used to happen is you would be told promptly with suitable feedback in the first case, or a carefully worded statement along the lines of “you are a backup candidate so go focus on securing something else in that context, but we may be in touch if the primary doesn’t work out”.

Industry norm now? You are left dangling and swinging in the wind until the contract is signed and then you might (if you are lucky) get told it’s a no. What do the entities involved (client/first tier/ second tier Agency) think they are gaining from this shoddy approach other than creating unnecessary stress and bad feeling?

If you are on the bench what are you finding?

[FatLazyContractor]

Not too long ago I remember an accepted way of treating candidates who attend interviews with a hiring decision outcome.

Industry norm now? You are left dangling and swinging in the wind until the contract is signed and then you might (if you are lucky) get told it’s a no. What do the entities involved (client/first tier/ second tier Agency) think they are gaining from this shoddy approach other than creating unnecessary stress and bad feeling?

Client - Doesn't have to and will not give a tulip. He has the money and is the king.

Agency - Pimp. Hope you know what a pimp does.

What do the entities involved (client/first tier/ second tier Agency) think they are gaining from this shoddy approach other than creating unnecessary stress and bad feeling?

If you play/know the game, you will never be stressed. HTH

[suityou01]

Honestly I find the market is treating us badly and hirers and agencies alike are behaving like complete *****.

I got a "no" for a gig just before Christmas. I quite literally flipped when that was all the feedback I got. Especially as I'd already shaved my day rate down.

So I persisted, politely. I will call you tomorrow at this time etc etc.

After several chases, it was deemed I had too many short contracts on my cv. It was ever thus. So I was binned. How much utter bollux would it have saved just to give that feedback in the first place?

Other reasons include that as I don't have enough experience in xyz open source scripting framework, angular.js being the main blocker. So I have to learn it, and then lie on my cv?

How easy would it be for a seasoned developer to pick it up? How long would it take some greasy pimply oik fresh out of college with 18 months experience of angular.js to pick up my 17 years of hard fought and won experience?

The market seems to forget what contracting is about, what the value of experience is, and places little value on basic manners.

It drives me crazy, and I have to sit on the bench watching my ******* world fall apart, while getting treated like a **** into the bargain. It's enough to send a sane individual round the bend.

Also the absolute horsetulip that gets posted on job serve these days is shocking.

[GlenW]

It's enough to send a sane individual round the bend.

Then you are in deep tulip!

[suityou01]

Client - Doesn't have to and will not give a tulip. He has the money and is the king.

Agency - Pimp. Hope you know what a pimp does.



If you play/know the game, you will never be stressed. HTH

You benched?

[FatLazyContractor]

You benched?

Do I sound stressed?!

[DodgyAgent]

Not too long ago I remember an accepted way of treating candidates who attend interviews with a hiring decision outcome. Not written down or a general policy, just an accepted way of behaving treating people with professional courtesy If its not a positive outcome its either an outright no or you are a secondary candidate back up if the primary choice falls through. What used to happen is you would be told promptly with suitable feedback in the first case, or a carefully worded statement along the lines of “you are a backup candidate so go focus on securing something else in that context, but we may be in touch if the primary doesn’t work out”.

Industry norm now? You are left dangling and swinging in the wind until the contract is signed and then you might (if you are lucky) get told it’s a no. What do the entities involved (client/first tier/ second tier Agency) think they are gaining from this shoddy approach other than creating unnecessary stress and bad feeling?

If you are on the bench what are you finding?

The industry has changed. In the old days (apparently ) the business was intensely personal. Lots of phone calls and easily accessible managers and recruiters. A lot of bad habits existed (lazy recruiters who could not be arsed to pick up the phone) but persistent contractors could usually get through to find out what had happened. Personal relationships with hiring managers and contractors enabled the sharpest and most determined recruiters to build networks.

The world of email and voicemail has changed all that. Agencies now deal with their clients through PSLs using email. No relationship exists between agencies and hiring managers. The quality of individual required to process requirements and applications is nothing more than administrative. Those who have left agencies to work as direct hirers have been the poorest performers and they have taken all their lazy habits with them. They never had networks of their own because they were either too lazy or had poor communication skills. A direct hiring position involving lots of paper shuffling in a monopoly environment means that they can hide all day hide behind their voicemail.

Contractors are easily found which is why the whole process has been automated (by systems funnily enough probably developed by contractors themselves).

Unless the agent has access to very senior management (and usually this is only necessary with niche or difficult skills) the link between the contractor and "what is going on" is broken.

The key for contractors is to work to this system and develop your own networks in the meantime.

[FatLazyContractor]

I got a "no" for a gig just before Christmas. I quite literally flipped when that was all the feedback I got. Especially as I'd already shaved my day rate down..

It could be because your skillset doesn't match what they are looking for?! Nothing to do with money?!

[MarillionFan]

Honestly I find the market is treating us badly and hirers and agencies alike are behaving like complete *****.

I got a "no" for a gig just before Christmas. I quite literally flipped when that was all the feedback I got. Especially as I'd already shaved my day rate down.

So I persisted, politely. I will call you tomorrow at this time etc etc.

After several chases, it was deemed I had too many short contracts on my cv. It was ever thus. So I was binned. How much utter bollux would it have saved just to give that feedback in the first place?

Other reasons include that as I don't have enough experience in xyz open source scripting framework, angular.js being the main blocker. So I have to learn it, and then lie on my cv?

How easy would it be for a seasoned developer to pick it up? How long would it take some greasy pimply oik fresh out of college with 18 months experience of angular.js to pick up my 17 years of hard fought and won experience?

The market seems to forget what contracting is about, what the value of experience is, and places little value on basic manners.

It drives me crazy, and I have to sit on the bench watching my ******* world fall apart, while getting treated like a **** into the bargain. It's enough to send a sane individual round the bend.

Also the absolute horsetulip that gets posted on job serve these days is shocking.

Not turning up for the interviews is a big avoid in my opinion.

[MarillionFan]

It could be because your skillset doesn't match what they are looking for?! Nothing to do with money?!

Or because he's a Prima Donna.