I was contacted to come in for an interview with the recruiting team, after applying online for a contractor role with one of the clients they represent.
I was handed off to three different recruiters before my interview date rolled around - Not one of them had good follow up skills and the first two interview dates I was given were rescheduled, last minute because the recruiter(s) were unable to keep their calendars straight.
The interview itself went well, they kept me there for over 90 minutes, introducing me around to all the staff and recruiters.The team was clearly interested in my skill set and resume, even offering additional tools to help me help them to market me to employers.
Unfortunately, that's where their professionalism ends.
Since first interviewing with the Aquent/Vitamin T staff nearly 6 months ago, I been asked to apply for multiple positions - but rarely hear back from recruiters after their initial contact. They pursue you hard, then fail to follow through. Once or twice might be excusable - but this is a chronic issue with the Los Angeles office.
In one case, I was sent to interview at the job site. After 45 minutes speaking with the client, she client indicated I had won the contract and would be hearing from my recruiter with the details in a few days. A week goes by and NOTHING. I tried contacting my recruiter. Turns out he went on vacation without telling me (or the client) or leaving instructions for another recruiter to follow up, So the client moved on to the next person on their list. My original recruiter never bothered to contact me after that, and I was offered a weak / second-hand apology from someone else in the office for his blunder.
On another occasion, I interviewed with the client - was told I would hear back within a week, one way or another and waited FOUR weeks before my recruiter finally got back to me only to say I had been passed over in favor of an internal applicant.
In the last three weeks alone - I have been contacted by three different recruiters in the L.A. office about my interest in pursuing (different) contracts -- and in each case, I hear NOTHING after my initial response.
I can understand not being awarded a position - but recruiters not following through with contractors who are waiting to hear back is unprofessional and unacceptable on any level.
Contractors are more than a commodity. Learn to respect their time. Please train your recruiters in the absolute necessity for follow-through and timely response, regardless of whether a position is awarded or not, Any time I lose a gig because a recruiter has let my application fall through the cracks, or neglects to follow through with a client, is time and money I will never get back. I'm better than that. You should be too.
