As recruiters who use technology to our benefit, sometimes automated emails go out that don’t make 100% sense. It’s not intentional, and most of us do whatever it takes to avoid this.
As past, present or future job seekers, we will inevitably be on the receiving end of one of these annoying emails. 99.9% of us let it go, but there’s always that guy who snaps back with a smart-assed email letting you know your automated email didn’t do it for him.
In this story, both parties did the wrong thing. Unfortunately, we are only given the recruiter’s name. The man anonymously known as “Robert”, who had posted his resume on Monster.com, received an email from a recruiter about a job opportunity in Arkansas. “Robert” took issue with the email because he clearly stated on his profile that he was only interested in jobs from Columbus, Ohio.
Instead of doing the smart thing, which would be deleting the email or politely declining interest, he sent this email:
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2012 3:18 PM
To: [Joe Goddard]
From: “Robert”
Subject: Re: .Net Programmer/Developer career Opp – fortune 500!!!
Since you got my resume off of Monster, I’m sure you saw in my profile that I’m only interested in jobs in Columbus, Ohio, because you surely check these things before firing off e-mails.
I get it. It IS annoying to get countless emails that are about a grain of salt’s difference from spam. But maybe Joe knows someone in Columbus that could have gotten “Robert” his dream job. There is absolutely no reason to burn any bridges.
Unfortunately Joe, the recruiter, makes it even worse.
On Thu, Apr 12, 2012 at 4:24 PM, Joe Goddard wrote:
A lot of people are open to other options, outside of what they put on Monster. Now I know why you’re looking for a job – because you’re a smartass LOL, you dick.
Wow. Joe resorted to name calling. Not a good way to represent yourself or your company. So did “Robert” take the high road and ignore Joe? Nope. He shot back with:
From: “Robert”
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2012 3:26 PM
To: Joe Goddard
Subject: Re: .Net Programmer/Developer career Opp – fortune 500!!!
And I know why you’re shotgunning jobs – you’re an unprofessional hack.
Now Robert is calling Joe names. I feel like I’m watching a couple of 3rd graders argue over who has the tougher dad. Here’s the rest:
On Thu, Apr 12, 2012 at 4:26 PM, Joe Goddard wrote:
Maybe, but I’ll make 250k this year, while you’re unemployed lol
From: [Robert]
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2012 3:29 PM
To: Joe Goddard
Subject: Re: .Net Programmer/Developer career Opp – fortune 500!!!
Actually, I’m not. But then again, to know that, you would have to read my resume. Something real recruiters do, by the way.
You’re quite amusing, really.
On Apr 12, 2012 4:34 PM, Joe Goddard wrote:
I’m amused as well, this is fun. You must really love your job, considering you’re looking for a new one. By the way, does you current employer know you’re looking? J
From: [Robert]
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2012 3:55 PM
To: Joe Goddard
Subject: RE: .Net Programmer/Developer career Opp – fortune 500!!!
Yes.
And you must love yours, too, leaving an email trail like this one.
From: Joe Goddard
Date: Apr 12, 2012 5:00 PM
Subject: RE: .Net Programmer/Developer career Opp – fortune 500!!!
To: [Robert]
Ummm, since I own the company, I’d [sic] yes, I do like my job. Regarding theis email, you can rest assured I’m not a damn bit worried about this. You smartoff to me, you’re not gonna like the response. Also, I will make sure all 247 IT staffing firms in my network see this email, so they can redflag you, just as I have. Good luck in your job search hahahahahah
What a waste of time and energy. At any point either one of them could have taken this in a positive direction, but they chose to behave like this instead. For Joe and “Robert’s” sake, I hope they learned something from this. After all, any e-mail you send can be published on the internet for all to see.
Somehow I doubt they were thinking about that during their little spat.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I presume that “use technology to our benefit” means spamming. If you send me an unsolicited, automatically generated email you are spamming me, wasting my time and IN THE WRONG. Simple really.
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These angry people. They think their email will not be read tHey think they can let their road rage tempers flair back on anyone in their way. It is this that bites them.
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Mr. Joe Goddard, this ain’t no Arkansas rodeo! What do you have to say for yourself? People like you give the industry a bad name. Stop! Uphold yourself to a certain level of professional integrity. Pull yourself together! http://i.imgur.com/rGNLG.gif
As for Robert, it can be hard to take the high road understandably but always take a step back and really think about an email before you send it especially when you are vexed. They were both pricks in their own way, forget about it. The way an owner/ceo/president conducts himself in business speaks exponentially to the professional character of his business, in this case Cardinal IT Resources, Inc. At least when this leaked, their was some anonymity to “Robert”.
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