Today's #BadRecruiter contacted me yesterday via #LinkedIn claiming to be a senior recruiter with Elevate Digital, which is apparently in Myrtle Beach, SC.

They included the job's location and title, and that it was a regular (W-2) role. But there was no pay information.

I've seen a lot of disparity between titles and actual pay offered. I've been through entire interview processes only to receive offers well below what I'd consider--one by about *half*--just wasting everyone's time. I also live in California, which requires that reasonable estimated pay ranges be shared with job listings. So I asked.

They countered by asking for my resume and email.

I reiterated that, without basic information about the job, I'm not interested in sharing my resume.

Again they asked for my email address to send me "job details", and again I said no.

Sadly, many people are just fishing for resumes and email addresses.

Be careful who you share your sensitive information with, especially in your #JobSearch .

I often receive email from would-be middlemen who want to resell my services.

Today I got another poorly-targeted message using and email address which I believe I had on a 12-year-old copy of my resume from a "Technical Recruiter" with "Infobahn Soft World" (infobahnsw.com).

Despite its German-sounding name, half of its 8 offices are in India. Its web page boasting which customers it claims to serve has a "tell" that they grasp English poorly. Also its contact page contains this delightful flub: "Fields marked with an <span class="ninja-forms-req-symbol">*</span> are required"

At least they provided an unsubcribe link in their message.

Apparently they have an "urgent job opening" (a 6-month contract "with possible extensions"). They don't disclose a pay rate and ask for my expectation, which I believe violate California law.

Poorly-targeted fishing email messages like this isn't networking, they're an insulting waste of our time.

Let's call them out and run them out of town on a rail.

#BadRecruiter

Apparently someone from Agile Enterprise Solutions Inc. in Frisco, TX found a copy of my resume from 12 years ago and emailed me a description of a job in my home town (Sunnyvale, CA) for "Senior Hardware Engineer - Electrical Testing, OrCAD Schematic and Layout".

The message didn't include how much it paid, so I asked. They replied with $140/year. That's about 30% below market for that title or even the hourly rate for low-end PCB layout designers.

Then they asked if I'd send an updated copy I my resume.

I said no, not for that rate.

Then they asked what rate I expect. If they were even in the same ballpark, I might have replied; I offer consulting services for a living, not a "free scoop" to someone who's just insulted me. (I also publish market rates at http://syncopate.us/articles/2022/e31c.shtml .)

Next, they reached out to me on LinkedIn with a message similar to their first, and I instantly blocked them.

On LinkedIn I think I've blocked at least one other from this outfit. I hope LinkedIn keeps track.

#BadRecruiter

Over the last few days, a couple more "recruiters" have contacted me via #LinkedIn, both trying to get me interested in working as a contractor through their firms while at what is obviously a nearby office of Meta (Facebook's parent).

Neither included pay info with the job descriptions, so I asked. One has so far ignored me, the other replied with a number that's 40% below market, so I figure that's what they're trying to scrape off the top.

California's #AB5 exists to help identify market rates and these kinds of scams.

Please don't fall for them.

#BadRecruiter

Today a "recruiter" from Carlton National Resources Inc (Boston MA) reached out to me via a #LinkedIn message.

I asked if they thought they had something they thought was suitable for me, and mentioned which equivalent Google level I'm at in my career. They were unfamiliar with those levels, and asked what contract rate I'm looking for.

That's where the voice in my head says "I think we're done here."

#BadRecruiter

Today I got a call from someone claiming to be a "recruiter" trying to source a worker for an "urgent" need at Intel in Santa Clara for a contract position, potentially until to the end of 2025.

The description of the skills they sought seemed a good match, so I asked how much it would pay. It was $74-78/hour (on W-2). Especially for the described skills set, I'd expect it to pay about four times as much.

After I quickly declined, the caller asked how much I was seeking. I said only "market rate" and that that was "not even close". I'm not into providing free market research, especially after such an insult.

The caller's accent was thick, so only after the call I was able to clarify the name of the company as Akraya Inc. by searching the ID that appeared on my phone (408-907-6413).

Stay away.

#BadRecruiter #WorkerExploitation

Today a recruiter called wanting me to work at Apple on-site in Cupertino, but for maybe up to 12 months and as a contractor through his firm.

For the job they want a 4-year degree and 5 years experience, so that's a Senior/Staff Engineer, equiv. to Google L5/L6. I work as a Principal Engineer (L8).

Even for the lower level, this bozo was offering only 25% of market rate.

Then he asked how much I'm looking for. I told him "market rate at my level".

After wasting my time with essentially an insult, I'm not even going to help him with his research.

#BadRecruiter

An independent recruiter phoned today, hot to fill a couple openings for senior engineers with a little firm in San Jose.

When I got the job descriptions, I saw that they sought education and experience a couple of levels above the titles, and offered a pay range that was a couple of levels below.

I wrote back that the red flags made me disinterested, and suggested that they could hire me as a consultant to fix how out-of-touch they seem.

#BadRecruiter