Friday 30th September 2005 - Scalped!

Posted on 2005/09/30 18:37:10 (September 2005).

Today I took half day off to go to Milan to yet another job interview. I guess that technically I cannot consider it a proper job interview as it was with an head hunter that got my name from a friend of mine.

When this friend called she said that they were looking for someone like me, in a different sector, but still in touch with the luxury segment that we are serving. So I called them up, the woman was rather eager to schedule the interview, and that already put me off a bit, mostly because she didn't even read my CV yet.

Anyways I told her that I was going to send the CV on Wednesday and booked for Friday afternoon.

The office is in a very central part of Milan, extremely "basic", would say minimalist in furnishing, but the several rooms in which the space is divided are nicely furbished and rather "warm" (with a squeaky wooden flooring that I absolutely LOVE).

Anyways the woman let me in, we greet and everything, and we start talking. After 3 minutes I can understand that she is not listening to me, I mean, she HEARS me but she's not listening.
After 10 minutes she tells me that she doesn't understand what I do! At this point I think that I am afflicted by a terrible form of dyslexia, but in a couple of seconds I understand that she didn't even read the CV!
She doesn't know that I lived abroad, that I have two degrees, that English is my second tongue and that I am fluent in Japanese!!! Certainly not secondary details on my profile!

The chat ends, short of 45 minutes, and off I go back to my place.

I hate these people. She was clearly looking for a "file fattening" person.
Something that she can show to her client so that she can prove that she actually looked for someone either than the "advised candidate" that she'll pass forward.
Did I add that she kept answering the phone, reading SMS and that I had to wait for 40 minutes? What the fuck is that?!

In the past six months I have had quite a few interviews with head hunting offices. Some of them were extremely professional, and seemed to have an interest in knowing ME, just in case something comes along in the future.

Some of them were just a waste of time, prepacked meeting, questions off the book (this woman asked me if I thought I was a good at sales!!!!!!), rude manners and full-of-shitness.

I was reading an article on an italian newspaper; it was saying that nowadays 90% of the responsibility positions are handled by head hunting offices, not by the company anymore (so that directors can blame someone else for poor employees). This apparently created quite a standardization of the "model employee" that these people are looking for, which is returns leads to mediocrity.

If this is your average head hunter I am not surprised at all.

Fortunately on the way back my attention was captured by a beautiful sunset, the sun was hidden behind a small bank of clouds, but there were a lot of "light blades" emerging from that soft white mass.
The clouds themselves were crowned by a orange-yellow halo and of course behind there was a clear blue sky!

Made me remember that I want to fall in love again.

Wow Lox, how annoying! I hope your expenses were paid... In the UK one of the growth "industries" of recent years has been Employment Agencies. Your reasoning as to why companies use them is spot on. And as you say they look for "formula" people rather than the real individual. This leads to "cardboard cut-outs" being employed. I actually wouldn't mind owning an Agenciy, then at least I could make sure the right people got the jobs!!

Posted by Nigel at 2005/09/30 20:30:36.

The real bummer is that Job Agencies are good for low level jobs, but tend to be useless for higher positions. I would never delegate the employment of my next Area Mnaager to someone that doesn't know my structure!! Of course They'll have an interview with me before getting the job, but what about the people that were discarded? If someone is introducing a "good candidate" to you I guess you feel compelled to take him/her in serious consideration, but how about the others? Maybe I am reasoning int his way because the system doesn't seem to work with me, maybe it's just me who is wrong. Still I feel that this industry it's full of crap much like the fashion one... Sometimes I feel I'll never get out of this place at all.

Posted by Lox at 2005/10/01 12:25:35.

How revolting ! Makes me sick ! Because of people like this, we're heading straight to a disaster in terms of human relationship. We are mere figures in their eyes, small consumption units. Why don't you send her this article ? Stick her nose in her own shit !

Posted by Sheri at 2005/10/01 07:58:46.

I liked the conclusion though ! Such a sensitive bloke...

Posted by Sheri at 2005/10/01 08:01:01.

Christelle (my wife) asks me if you're cute. What should I answer ?

Posted by Sheri at 2005/10/01 08:04:40.

The problem is that she knows the president of my company (so she said) so it's better to avoid any strange reactions. For as much as I'd love to go, I want to go away on my terms not on theirs.

As for Christelle's request you could show her the pictures on the pictures page, I think that's the best way... But then I want to know what she said !!

By the way I do remember that you told me that I was ugly! :)

Posted by Lox at 2005/10/01 11:22:48.

No Lox, you're not ugly !

Posted by Sheri at 2005/10/01 14:41:03.

Just wanted to say this was a great entry.

If I'd been you I'd have been tempted to give the head hunter a mouthful, although no doubt I would have been too worried about burning birdges, etc, in that situation to actually say anything.

...or maybe it was some sort of test - anyone that sits there and politely allows someone else to waste their time hasn't got what it takes...? What they were really looking for was somebody who'd grab her by the pigtails (I'm assuming she had pigtails), bang her head on the desk, whilst shouting "LISTEN TO ME YOU MORON!".

Or maybe not.

Nice end to your article too Lorenzo.

Posted by John at 2005/10/04 20:21:10.

Thanks for the nice comments John, I was inspired that day... :) Next time something like that happens I am going to walk away right in the middle of the interview! Gotta make a mental note to remember it!

Posted by Lox at 2005/10/05 08:10:28.

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