Am I being a dick?
 

Yes, yes I am. :)

I love HR idiots...especially ones that think that a 10 minute personality test should be taken before anyone can really apply to a job. Of course, they do so because they don't have a friggin' clue how to actually conduct an interview and do their friggin' jobs.

Plus, it's 12:30 and I'm stuck in the airport in Vegas with 32 minutes left on my laptop battery. Yes, I'm pissy right now.

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Dear Mr. Blackadar:

While searching the Monster database, we came across your resume. Your background is of interest to us.

One of the leading cell phone providers is currently seeking ten Business Solutions Representatives for the following locations: Montgomery and Mobile, Alabama; Albany and Dublin, Georgia; Hilton Head, South Carolina; Tampa, Naples, Gainesville, Polk County, and Destin/Ft. Walton, Florida. With more than 12 million customers and nearly $8 billion in annual revenues, the company provides wireless, local, long-distance, Internet and high-speed data services to residential and business customers in 26 states.

The focus of the Business Solutions Representative is to provide the highest quality communication services to new and existing customers (small to medium-sized businesses). Responsibilities include promoting application based solutions, prospecting daily to maintain a robust sales pipeline, writing and presenting proposals to customers, meeting monthly sales goals, attending required training, providing consultative customer service, and completing the necessary business processes to ensure accurate service activation and billing.

The ideal candidates will have one or two years of direct sales experience in the telecommunications industry, or three to five years selling voice data or communications equipment. Qualifications include: strong selling skills; the ability to recommend solutions to meet specific customer needs; strong communication and prospecting skills, and the aptitude for communications products and services. Bachelor's degree in Sales and Marketing preferred.

The successful candidates will be independent, self-motivated, goal-oriented problem solvers with good decision-making skills. Candidates must also be customer service focused, able to work with little supervision, and willing to accommodate a flexible schedule. Must have a valid driver's license.

Compensation: Base Salary $35,000 per year plus commissions, plus potential $25,000 Bonus.
First Year On Target Earnings $70,000.

Locations: Montgomery and Mobile, AL, Albany and Dublin, GA, Hilton Head, SC, Tampa, Naples, Gainesville, Pok County, and Destin/Ft. Walton, FL.

While your background is of interest to us, to consider you for this position, you need to complete a simple 10-minute exercise. Please go to www.tjti.com, and click on FREE TEST.

After completing the test, fax it back to me at 1-866-237-8090, along with another copy of your resume. I look forward to your early response.

Cordially,


Wendell Bragg
Human Resources

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Mr. Bragg:

While I certainly appreciate your inquiry, after over 12 years in telecommunications, I believe pre-discussion online testing is counterproductive. Having hired and trained successful sales representatives and managers, I know that there is not a 10 minute personality test that can define the characteristics of a successful salesperson. That your organization asks for a premature personality test before even having any personal discussion with potential candidates tells me that your evaluation process is flawed.

Good luck with your search, but I do not wish to apply at this time. I would also suggest that your organization take another look at your screening process. If you would prefer, my consulting services are available to help correct this process to enable your organization entice qualified candidates to respond to such inquiries.

Sincerely,

Walter Blackadar
President, Athyrio Consulting

That was a perfect response. Well, as perfect as professionalism allows.

I'd say that test had about as much credibility as drawing the pirate in TV Guide has to determining artistic ability.

your last name really is Blackadar?

I think he may have edited out his last name with 'Blackadar', or maybe it is ;).

and I agree, that response rocked.

You mean your last name is'nt Dodger?? ;)

Except for the missing word.

If he is, I wonder if he has a Ph. D. in kayaking? :)

Walter?

you got a problem with that, Mr Bor?

dola,

apparently not. "That' Walter Blackadar seems to have died in a tragic rafting accident in 1978. Unless he plays FOF from beyond the grave? :)

Mr.B.Bor eh :D

I know, I know...lame.

(btw, for what it's worth, I know his last name isn't really Blackadar). It's Dial, right?

I think you really didn't care to work for them. ;) But regardless, the response seemed honest enough, I wouldn't say you were being a dick at all.

dola

Sometimes it is hard to prevent that. Here's to hoping that was not in the copy that was sent.

It was a good response. "Recruitment specialists", as they are called at my employer, make hiring more difficult than it was before. We have often hired from their discard pile because they don't have a clue (despite our best efforts to educate them).

I don't think you were a dick. In fact, you were pretty nice in your response.

Nice!!! Being a dick no! Telling them they need to get a clue, politely - Yes.

I personally refuse to use 'Recruitment Specialists' for just that reason ... to be frank I've generally found that enthusiasm and potential make up for a set of skills on a resume in 99% of cases and much prefer to hire graduates and train within a company rather than pay over the odds for someone who on paper has the right words.

This has two advantages, (1) people are trained and used to our work practices and don't come on board with huge amounts of baggage they've learnt elsewhere, (2) it leaves room within the company for promotions which helps ensure people don't feel they have to move onto a new company in order to get a decent position.

This has meant that SI have had a whopping 2 members of staff leave in the 9 years I've been at the company, which in turn means we've got a very specialised and knowledgable team of people here ... :D

PS> When I was freelance around 10-12 years ago I went to a recruitment agency who had a programming vacancy, before they would forward me onto the company involved they insisted on me taking a test to prove my suitability .... only thing is they knew nothing about programming, so they made me take a typing test - go figure.
(in case anyones intested I averaged around 70 words per minute with a negligable mistake ratio .... I think I missed my calling, could have made someone a decent secretary :D)

It's a scam/spam. I got a nearly-identical e-mail asking me to take the same "free test", only in regard to a Government Compliance Analyst job in Green Bay, and fax the results back to a different number in the same area code. Seems to be fairly sophisticated, though - the job requirements were a pretty good match to my resume.

Yes,but...can you make a decent cup of coffee?:D

You could have done it in a more grammatically correct fashion...