Slashdot Mirror
When Do You Fire a Headhunter?
Captain Sarcastic writes "I have been a contract programmer for a few years (with some time off when a contract-for-hire paid off and made me a full-time employee). Currently, I'm between projects, but I'm a little worried about one of the contracting companies who's helping me. First off, a little history. "Zeke" (not his real name) was with ABC Contractors (not their real name) when I first met him, and he took my resume and started processing me through the jobs that ABC had available. A bit later, Zeke left, and his replacement Yvonne (standard disclaimer) submitted me to a company (call them "Acme") for a contract-for-hire. Everything looked like a good fit, and she E-mailed me a copy of the resume they submitted to Acme. Came the interview, I realized that Zeke had left out part of my history and had mis-dated other aspects, to keep me from appearing unemployed. Like an idiot, I tried to correct this at the interview, to find out that Acme had decided that I had fabricated all of my experience, and chewed out the rep for ABC for sending an unqualified applicant. Fine, learning experience for me — double-check what the contracting company says about you, and don't try to correct things in the middle of the interview." Read below for the rest of the story. What other difficulties have others gone through with headhunters and when is it time to leave one behind?
A couple months later, Zeke contacted me from his new position with Blue-Sky Consultants (standard disclaimer), and sent me on a couple of interviews. Once again, I found out he'd "corrected" my resume — the same way he did with ABC. I raised the issue with him, and he apologized and said he'd correct the resume, and he's submitted me for other positions, but none seem to have gotten to the interview stage. I suspect that he's not trying very hard, and I wonder if he's soft-pedaling submissions for me to keep his own bosses from recognizing he'd altered my resume. So, I have the following questions:
- Am I suspecting malice and/or clumsiness where a competitive market is the true suspect? (An answer of yes would be harder on my ego, but a relief.)
- Do headhunters modify resumes, and if so, should I just shut up and go with what the headhunter says? (I was always told that eventually, the truth comes out, so I'd be uncomfortable doing that, but life isn't always comfortable.)
- Should I tell Zeke to get lost and stay that way? (I was always told that making enemies unnecessarily was "considered harmful", but I get the impression that Zeke isn't a friend).
- Have fellow Slashdotters dealt with similar situations?
I would have to concur.
A reputable headhunter will typically ask you questions to ascertain if they need you to update your resume and have you do it. If there's an issue with formatting, but not content, the headhunter will show you what they've done.
This guy is a slimeball and I've met a few like him...drop him like a hot potato and make sure your colleagues know about him as well.
I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
This. I'm not the HR of my company, but my job includes reviewing all resumes submitted for the people who will be working under me. If I asked you in for an interview because your resume showed me that you might not be a complete knucklehead, and you tell me that the agency who sent in your resume completely fabbed it up, you still have 2 minutes to explain to me why you're not a complete knucklehead.
Basically, you've substituted the list of skills on your resume with a single relevant skill: Honesty.
It's up to you, in the interview, to very quickly tell me what relevant skills you DO have and why I shouldn't waste my time listening to you any further. If you can do that, your false resume doesn't preclude you from the job. I'd rather have an honest person with a remotely relevant skillset and a bad resume than an idiot with an impressive resume. That's why most businesses won't even look past the coverletters anymore, because resumes are typically crap.
Also, as a personal note: Lighten up. Have fun with your resume and don't follow the exact rules and formats of everyone else. Keep it concise and to the point (I don't want to be bored while reading it), but also include something that will make it stand out and be memorable -- like printing it on the blank back of a page from a dinosaur coloring book. People think that HR's are robots who want to trash anything that looks individual or informal. They're humans with senses of humor, and something that will brighten their day will tend to come back and brighten yours. After I helped my wife with her resume, the next job she applied for (a bank, of all places) not only hired her, but asked if they could frame the resume on the wall.
I am the richest astronaut ever to win the superbowl.
I agree with the parent. It's unfortunate, but sometimes headhunters mess about with the resume before sending it on. You can reduce the odds of this happening (somewhat) by only giving the headhunter a PDF copy of your resume. They'd have to re-type the resume to edit it, and many may be unwilling to go through the effort.
Definitely do bring copies of your resume with you to any interview, and if you find the resume they have in front of them is wrong correct it right away. Don't try to cover for the headhunter. In the original question, the submitter said he was an idiot to correct the resume during the interview - no, you weren't. As a hiring manager, I'd rather hear that the headhunter falsified your resume, than discover that you did.
If you find a headhunter has faked your resume, I'd drop him/her right away, and insist they no longer share your info with anyone. Limit the exposure. If it happens once, it will happen again.
You correct it. You take your lumps with this employer. And you drop the guy who hacked your resume.
It's OK so shorten your resume. It's not OK to falsify anything on it.
You should have dropped 'em the first time. Now that you know this guy fakes resumes you should never touch him again.
You may be having trouble now because there's two versions of your resume getting to some HR departments and you're flagged as a fake. If you keep getting no-replies you may need to include a cover letter explaining that a(n unnamed) headhunter had previously "enhanced" your resume and circulated this false version, that this one is true and correct, and you no longer do business with him.
Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
i would prefer to notify them that the first time was the last time and they are to destroy or return to me any copies of resumes or other records pertaining to me, along with a signed certification that it has been done. any further deflection or waffling and they will get to talk to my lawyer instead of me.
if you are lying on my behalf your behavior reflects on me and i do not tolerate that kind of horseshit.
Snowden and Manning are heroes.