Go With Your Gut

Last week I received an email, then had several emails exchanged, a gentleman who was interested in hiring us to find him some new employees.  The type of employee he was looking for wasn’t an issue, but the thought process behind his email was concerning.  Here are some of the points to his email:

  • “You’re a recruiting company with a database, you should have extra people you can just send me for free.”  Um, no, that’s not how it works.  First, we don’t ‘database’ candidates and there is no such thing as ‘extra people’.  Everyone has the potential to be a valued employee.  How committed to developing your employees are you going to be if you think they are plentiful enough to get ‘for free’?
  • ‘It’s none of your business how much I’m going to pay them, or if they are going to be W-2.”  Clearly we aren’t on the same page of developing a relationship, so I can answer that by saying, “It ABSOLUTELY is my business how much and how you are going to be paying the employees”.  How can I provide you with good candidates if we don’t know the details?
  • “I know your industry, I know how you work, I can tell you better than you can if someone is going to work out in my company.”  Which of course begs the question as to why you are contacting me in the first place!

I’ve questioned if this was a ‘scam’ email or a legitimate business.  Turns out, it’s legit.  What this business owner failed to realize is that in this ‘free market’ business world we live in, we are not obligated to work with him, and we certainly aren’t obligated to have employees work in an environment like that.

Communications like this, coming from the business owner, should be a clear indicator of what it would be like to work for him.  I can’t imagine going into work every day faced with questions of trust, demanding blind faith, controlling payroll and ultimately the employees’ livelihood.

Job seekers, take heed in the advice to interview the employer as much as they are interviewing you.  Ask questions, go with your gut.  If there are too many flags, pay attention.

 

Previous Comments

Kage Alan on 4-17-2014 said

I’ve had the unfortunate experience of working with management/owners in the past who I tend to refer to as the TJ Maxx of the business world; they want the absolute maximum for the absolute minimum. And when you don’t provide them with it, they have a tendency to get quite loud about how the workers lack dedication, loyalty etc. My belief has always been when you give workers employer loyalty and dedication, you’ll receive what you’re looking for back (provided the employee is worth their salt).

Fortunately, I’ve also worked with employers who excel in providing a very solid environment for their people. The gentleman who wrote you the e-mail does not sound like one of them.

Sherri Scharf on 2-14-2016 said

Ms. Ferrante:
Thank you for sharing this story. By doing so, you have proven your company’s integrity in seeking to have a good fit not just for the employer but also the employee. You didn’t have to post this as a “warning” to job seekers, the prospective client experience could have just been a “water cooler” conversation at your workplace. But the fact that you did proves that you seek “balance” in your placements, and do not merely see the prospective employee as a “product.” I appreciate your approach!

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