Pushy, Unprofessional Recruiters – Six times you can and must say no

Although there are tremendous recruiters in every industry, they are outnumbered by the pushy, unprofessional recruiters so many job-seekers have come to know and despise. 

Here are six times you can and must say “Nope!” to a recruiter’s demand if you want to be taken seriously as a job candidate and as a professional:

• When the recruiter asks you, “What are you earning now?” or “What did you earn at your last job?” you’ll say, “That’s confidential of course, but I’m shooting for jobs in the $80K range.”

• When the recruiter asks you to answer a long list of questions about your background, you’ll say, “Wait one second, please. You called me. I need to know a bit more about the job you’re trying to fill before I can start answering questions.” Your time and attention are not free!

• When the recruiter tells you to fill out tests or complete online applications for an employer client, you’ll say, “I will be happy to fill  out whatever forms are necessary once a mutual interest is established. I’m not going to complete forms, take tests or fill out questionnaires before I’ve spoken to a human being on the employer side.”

• When the recruiter sends you to an interview, you’ll let him or her know that you expect to hear the client’s reactions to you as a candidate within three business days after the interview. That is more than long enough for them to get back to you with a “Yes, we’re interested” or “No thanks” message. If you don’t hear back, you’ll be gone.

• When the recruiter demands your payslips or proof of income, you’ll tell him or her to put down the crack pipe and join us in the real world. The employer does not share its payroll details with strangers, and neither do you.• If a recruiter tells you, “You’re being difficult — all of my other candidates are much easier to work with. If you won’t play ball, I’ll have to drop you of this hiring process” you’ll say, “Excellent! Please do” and you’ll hang up the phone.

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at  Sorry, Recruiters — I’m Not Taking Your Abuse Anymore – Forbes