Wednesday, February 22, 2006

HR Stuff

An email arrived this afternoon from a head hunter search firm professional I’ve never heard of before. He described an HR position on the East Coast at a very attractive salary and bonus plus car allowance.

I looked through it, and replied with a polite note telling him I knew of no one among my local contacts who might be interested.

(Oh! Would any of you like his name and email address? Let me know!)

I used to get these contacts by telephone more than by email, but the world is changing. In fact, there were times when they came so frequently they were a real annoyance. In the past six months I’ve probably only had 3-4, and two of those have been during January and now February. Business must be improving!

I have no idea how that particular head hunter search firm professional got my email address, but no matter. I would guess that he doesn’t read this blog, however, as few firms would have interest in an HR pro at such an advanced age as I have now attained. (And a big raspberry to all of you who have made “old” jokes at my expense following my last two posts!)

Regardless, it’s interesting to read a position profile (“job description” to us older folks) and note the compensation offered and the locale. It keeps me in touch with marketplace values and realities. And if the job is an HR position, and most of them are — that’s why they send them to me, to see if I might nibble at the bait — then I can either feel good or bad about my current job depending on the relationship of my current salary to the one offered.

(And in case you’re wondering, I feel pretty good about my current job after reading this most recent job/salary profile).

How about you? Do you ever get calls or emails from head hunters? Or is it just us HR types? I know that the engineers at our plant get calls regularly, and sometimes various managers do, but I wonder about others. If you do (or have in the past), let me know.

NEW SUBJECT

No news from my agent querying efforts lately. I still have 16 email queries out with no response yet, and I’ve begun sending snail mail letters to selected agents who request no emails. Some of those emails are over a month old.

But then, all of the responses that came back within a few days were of the “No thanks” variety. So maybe the others are carefully reading and re-reading my synopsis, getting the full force of emotions from my gripping tale. Or maybe the “John Earle Electronic Conspiracy” traveled virus-like with my email and has afflicted their computers, internet service, and email capability.

Or (more likely), they’re just so busy working with all their existing clients and fighting through each day’s onslaught of submissions, they’re a bit behind.

As I’ve so often said, “What a business!”

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm an unemployed tech support/client services monkey, and had a head hunter call in December. She had to have been right out of head hunter school because there was NO savvy. During our meeting, she came right out and said she was out of her depths because she only knows how to place sales people. Then, via email, she tells me she submitted 6 candidates to the client but I was the only one who didn't have an extensive background in the software they wanted. I wanted to write back and say "Gee, thanks!"

Faith Bicknell said...

I had a VERY well-known agent. After 8 months, we parted ways because his work load was too much. He apologized for taking me on as a new client, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating. Now I'm on the query-go-round again, but this time, it's easier. I've got 5 requested partials in the mail, and one came in tonight via email recommending me to yet another agent, which is very good.

Thanks for adding me to the blogroll. I'll do the same as soon as I have a minute. That darn template drives me insane.

Anonymous said...

16 out by email, John . . . plus now x out by mail -- remember Miss Snark said go for 100 :-)

Anonymous said...

Agencies I hate them. Just send them one of these and they leave you alone (eventually) although even with this Cv they found me a suitable job in Northampton.

Duke_of_Earle said...

robotjam,

Love the CV. Did it work? Even in the UK you guys are hounded by these agencies, huh?

Great site and good work, btw.

John

Anonymous said...

Duke,

Even after that one they still were finding me jobs that I had no experience in. They even found my mobile number and rang me up. They asked me what sort of salary I was after so I just said a million would do it.

Since then nothing :)

RJ.

Candace said...

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for ya, John.

Have you received many requests yet for the synopsis?

And, do I remember correctly that you are working on the sequel? They say that's the best way to get through this waiting period -- start on a new one.

Duke_of_Earle said...

robotjam: So, as they say, money talks, and B.S. walks, eh? Good move on your part!

Candace: Thanks for the good wishes. I'm enclosing the synopsis with the query in every case. I figure it can't hurt, and it's just an extra 24 cents per envelope postage. And I don't really have a "waiting period" yet, as I'm sending out the queries slowly -- about 8-10 per week. Plus the day job is keeping me plenty occupied right now.

John

kenju said...

Mr. kenju doesn't get called anymore, since we have both attained retirement age. But back when he was in his prime, he used to get 1-3 calls per month.

My daughter the lawyer, gets them frequently; feelers from other law firms who have heard of her. Last one she got, she knew the firm it was from, so she blew the mind of the head-hunter by telling him who it was. One of their other employees had called, telling her she was going to get an offer...LOL

Anonymous said...

I think you should start daily affirmations - if it worked for John Keogh then it will work for you. And don't forget the visualisations - the one where you are receiving your first H-U-G-E cheque and the one where you see yourself signing all those books. *wink*

Anonymous said...

It's been absolutely crazy here, but this morning I was able to get our for a nice five-mile run (in 13 degree weather!) for the first time in a week and as my mind began clearing baggage from its surface and getting to that which really matters, I got to wondering how your search was going.

Thanks for the update, and good luck. My hunch is that someone out there read your submission and wants to reread it for pleasure it's so darn good, hence the delay.