Respond To Recruiter When You're Not Looking?
 

Started a new job 3 months ago. Now have received a message from an executive recruiter asking me to talk with them about a similar but possibly higher-level job for a different company in my area. I am happy where I am, people and clients are fantastic and organization is very good, money is not great but not terrible, so I am not looking to move. What do you do? Respond and have a chat? Just to keep building the network? Or ignore?

Talk

Sure, find out the skinny.

Tabs is close. The more correct answer is: listen.

_

I never shut the door but tell them politely that I am presently engaged until... but would be happy to entertain similar offers in the future. I hear them out but am respectful of ther time.

Talk. I am not looking to move. I was offered a couple of very nice gigs with an equity stake recently. The flattery was great for my ego and esteem. The offers were useful in that I was able to honestly assess how much I enjoyed my current gig.

Summary - the talking made me happier where I am.

Good luck,
Larry

Always respond and throw them a bone if you can. You never know when you'll need their help.

Unless the situation at the current new gig was terrible I'd pass.

FWIW, if a recruiter passed me someone who just 3 months prior had taken a new position I'd be very reluctant to give it even minimal consideration.

Keep in mind, a recruiters job is to present qualified candidates. The more the better.

Whether they are viable candidates does not really matter as much.

and people wonder why it's so hard to get and keep a good job. businesses must have absolutely zero faith in the loyalty of their employees any more.

I know a few folks who bounce around like clockwork. I would not hire any of them regardless of skill.

That's a two-way street...

Maybe if businesses led by example and weren't so eager to kick "their most valuable resource" (har-har) out onto the street at the first sign of possible trouble then they'd actually EARN some loyalty.

My attitude is I am a free agent (virtually all of us are). If I can do better elsewhere I believe I owe my current employer a chance to respond to why I'm considering leaving and counter or make it right - nothing more, nothing less. If they don't, I have no reservation about jumping ship.

I've been at my current position for almost seven years. They hired me at the end of 2009 when jobs were pretty hard to come by - especially in my field. I haven't forgotten that and it has been a factor in my turning down a few competing offers I've gotten since (including two that had higher salaries and four that had higher compensation package values when total remuneration was considered - quality of life and work-life balance was a huge factor too. I'm just not willing to work 90 hour weeks anymore. My free time and having a life / time for family, friends, hobbies, personal interests, etc. is more important now than just sucking in huge numbers.

My next job change will be dictated by my wanting to move out of New England, not because I don't like the job or firm per se.

Even though I stayed nearly 20 years at my last employer I always responded to headhunters. I politely and professionally told them that I was currently employed, not looking to leave but would gladly make a recommendation if I knew someone that was qualified and looking. You never know when you will need their services.

Try to appreciate your happiness and satisfaction where you are. It's worth more than money--a lot more.

Perhaps you can use this request to get more money/benefits where you are. Drop a hint to your boss that a recruiter called, and you talked to him......let him sweat for awhile.

Hear him/her out. Always good to keep an open ear.

headhunters are PIMPS. without the soft heart.


they will lick your balls if you're worth a darn and looking for a job.

A lot of times a recruiter will use you as cannon fodder. They will put you out there as a comparison for the candidate they are really trying to place.

They are pimps ... pure and simple.

But handy when you are in need of getting laid.

Three months is too short of a time to move unless your situation was so bad you couldn't stand it or the offer was so once in a lifetime that you couldn't say no. Anything else and you'll damage your career by moving from one to the other too fast.

I'd respond and tell the recruiter that you just started the job three months ago and are happy, so you're not interested in making a move, but that he could check back in a year and see how you are doing then.

Makes sense.

I know two guys looking in this industry and area. Maybe worth finding out and pointing him to those guys.

My tenure at every job from first to current:
2 y first job out of school
12 y stuck it out to partnership and stayed until left the profession
7 y laid off
<1 y whole team left right after I was hired
10 y company shut down

Changing jobs isn't fun.

This is perfect:

This is potentially a disaster: