Are we falling or flying …

Sometimes when people ask me what kind of work I do, I just kind of laugh and say “Well, in my next life I’m going to sell swampland in the Gobi,” and leave it at that (or try to).

If pushed, I say I enjoy technology, like to solve problems, build things, and change peoples’ lives -hopefully in a good way.  Usually I also really like the work I do - recruiting - because I get to partner with hiring managers to build great technology teams which solve interesting technical and business problems. 

<rant>

I don’t like being lumped together with the many “recruiters” who push paper, don’t know what they are talking about,  and don’t understand their <internal or external> clients’ business, needs, or hiring bars. Unfortunately HR organizations and staffing agencies have too many people exactly like that.

For example, my friend Ben is fairly well known within geekdom, particularly by Firefox fans and users.  His contact info is also very very easy to find in under 30 seconds, via a websearch utilizing his current (and my former) employer.

Even so, some over reaching recruiter posted a comment on his blog which I think illustrates too well the calliber of some of my peers:

Hi Ben,

My company is currently looking for a Mozilla Engineer. We are a startup based in San Jose that focuses on speeding up the internet delivery on handled devices.

I found your profile online and was wondering:
a. if you would be interested in a new opportunity.
b. if you would know anyone in your entourage that would be interested in such a position.
We offer a $3,000 bonus referral fee.

Please send me an email and I will gladly give you further details about both the position and the company itself!

Have a great day.

Technical recruiter rule # 1:

Do not spam senior technologists or they will publicly post your spam for the world to see - and for their fellow geeks to laugh at for years (or longer, via the Way Back Machine).

Or rather, !!!

</rant>