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Subject:Re: Questions for Headhunters/Recruiters From:Jean Weber <jhweber -at- WHITSUNDAY -dot- NET -dot- AU> Date:Fri, 16 Apr 1999 13:53:19 +1000
You didn't say whether this was for a contract or staff position. My
comments apply to contacting, but are probably relevant to staff positions too.
1) I try to get as clear an idea as possible what the job will involve;
what's the audience for the documents, what do they expect _me_ to do, what
existing information is available (or am I expected to pull it all out of
the developers' heads, or reading the code), and so on. Partly this is to
determine whether I feel I am actually appropriate for the job (for examle,
if the audience is techies and the source material is code, I decline to
carry the discussion any further -- I know that's outside my skill set).
Unfortunately, many recruiters don't know the answers to my questions, or
the information they've been given by the client is incorrect, but that's a
separate issue.
2) I ask about the location, especially if I'm expected to work onsite
every day (or most days). Unless I'm really keen on the job for intangible
reasons (it sounds like _exactly_ what I want to do, and gives me the
opportunity to learn stuff I really want to learn), or it pays such a high
rate that I can't refuse (ha ha, in your dreams), or I'm totally desperate
(been a long time since I've been in that situation), then there's a lot of
places I simply won't commute to (takes too long and is too stressful to
get there).
Sometimes, even if the location is unacceptable, I'll judge from the job
description that I can make a good case for teleworking once I talk to the
hiring manager, but mostly I decide not to waste everyone's time by
applying for a job I won't want to travel to.
3) I ask when they want someone to start, how long the contract is for, and
what the likelihood of extension is (I may want a short-term gig and have
other plans 3 months down the track that will prove a problem for everyone
if the job gets delayed, and delayed, and delayed). Obviously things happen
to change the timing of releases, but if you can find out that the company
has a reputation for always running late, or for meeting deadlines, that's
useful.
4) Because I prefer to work in more of a consulting role than a "worker
bee" role, I try to find out who I'll be reporting to (that is, how far
down the food chain will I be) and how much autonomy I'll have. Again, the
recuiter may not know, or may have been given incorrect information.
There's probably other questions, but that's all I can think of right now.
