4 ms·

I had this exchange with a recruiter working at Google. Recruiter: I am writing to introduce myself as I recently received your name from a current Googler w

I had this exchange with a recruiter working at Google. Recruiter: I am writing to introduce myself as I recently received your name from a current Googler who mentioned you'd be a strong asset here. I am hoping that you might be open to confidentially exploring engineering opportunities with Google. If not, it'd be wonderful to hear a bit about what you're doing currently so we can keep in touch down the road. Please let me know if you might have a few minutes to discuss. Me: Who recommended me? I'd love to know. Recruiter: I have been asked to keep that confidential. Let me know if you are interested in exploring opportunities that we have here at Google further. Thanks again and have a great day. Me: Thanks for the inquiry but I'm not interested. I also just want you to know that I'm aware of passive recruitment techniques and for some people it's frustrating to engage in a conversation at that level. I don't think it reflects well on you or Google.

iamdave 17y ago
That's pretty common as well. I've learned not to be afraid of who recommended me, or where the recruiter found my resume. The point of this is bi-fold, both to your advantage: 1. Check the integrity of the recruiter talking to you, ensuring they're not employing tactics that hurt your reputation with other employers and 2. It's a low tech form of analytics to help you further understand how helpful the job boards your resume is housed are.
- bhiggins 17y ago
  I didn't have my resume out there. It doesn't serve my interests to aid the recruiter in their fishing expedition.
paulgb 17y ago
When I was a freshman, I got an email from Microsoft that said "One of our recruiters recently reviewed your resume and is very interested in speaking with you about your interests and skills". I didn't actually have a résumé at the time. I wouldn't call that particular tactic black hat, but it did raise my suspicions.
- cperciva 17y ago
  I have a Microsoft story which beats that: I was invited to give a talk at Microsoft Research about research I had done, and when I arrived I was introduced as "Colin Percival, who wants to work for us". I gave my talk and escaped as quickly as I could.
JoelPM 17y ago
In some cases the person who recommended you may be bound by an agreement not to try and hire any previous colleagues for a period of time (I had to sign one when I quit Google), in which case it would probably violate the agreement for you to know that said person was the one who recommend you. While I was at Google they had at least one event in which people were encouraged to think of anyone that would possibly be worth contacting, so it's possible that your name came in through that avenue (and the person who recommended you had signed the aforementioned agreement).
brg 17y ago
When one makes employee referrals at Google, they have the choice as to whether to allow the recruiter to reveal their or to keep it confidential. Often during larger recruiting drives people copy their linked-in contacts, facebook contaccts, or sometimes even their entire graduating class. Often these are blind referrals in order to win the iPod or whatnot, and they don't want the recruiter to reveal the referral name.

iamdave 17y ago

That's pretty common as well. I've learned not to be afraid of who recommended me, or where the recruiter found my resume. The point of this is bi-fold, both to your advantage: 1. Check the integrity of the recruiter talking to you, ensuring they're not employing tactics that hurt your reputation with other employers and 2. It's a low tech form of analytics to help you further understand how helpful the job boards your resume is housed are.

bhiggins 17y ago
I didn't have my resume out there. It doesn't serve my interests to aid the recruiter in their fishing expedition.

paulgb 17y ago

When I was a freshman, I got an email from Microsoft that said "One of our recruiters recently reviewed your resume and is very interested in speaking with you about your interests and skills". I didn't actually have a résumé at the time. I wouldn't call that particular tactic black hat, but it did raise my suspicions.

cperciva 17y ago
I have a Microsoft story which beats that: I was invited to give a talk at Microsoft Research about research I had done, and when I arrived I was introduced as "Colin Percival, who wants to work for us". I gave my talk and escaped as quickly as I could.

JoelPM 17y ago

In some cases the person who recommended you may be bound by an agreement not to try and hire any previous colleagues for a period of time (I had to sign one when I quit Google), in which case it would probably violate the agreement for you to know that said person was the one who recommend you. While I was at Google they had at least one event in which people were encouraged to think of anyone that would possibly be worth contacting, so it's possible that your name came in through that avenue (and the person who recommended you had signed the aforementioned agreement).

brg 17y ago

When one makes employee referrals at Google, they have the choice as to whether to allow the recruiter to reveal their or to keep it confidential. Often during larger recruiting drives people copy their linked-in contacts, facebook contaccts, or sometimes even their entire graduating class. Often these are blind referrals in order to win the iPod or whatnot, and they don't want the recruiter to reveal the referral name.