I will have you know, that I have been head-hunted in the past! Yes it’s out there, it’s true! When I worked in Dell Computers in Dublin, I was an easy target for recruitment agencies. I would get at least two offers of jobs per month. In those care-free days I felt I had the power with regards to agencies. If I am being honest I looked down on them and felt people who worked there were washed up sales people! I left Dell computers on a high. The Celtic Tiger was roaring and I was on the up.
I moved from Belfast to Dublin and tripled my salary in that one swift move. Then on leaving Dell I had doubled my salary once again. There only was one way to go, or so we thought.
As you all know I was made redundant in January and finished up on 31st March 2011. Before I was ‘let go’ (euphemism #1) I was Sales Manager for Ireland for Disney. A job title that made children’s’ eyes light up in any country (Ireland, UK, France, Italy).
When I first went to recruitment agencies they used to spout the same ‘with your CV, you will soon get a great job’. Well to be smugly honest that had been the way before, so why wouldn’t I believe them? Well the reasons I have now discovered, are that I am the wrong side of 40; I am not a hungry sales person anymore; I want to be able to spend time with those important in my life. So no, I won’t commute at 7am; I won’t start in a job with ‘great potential’; I am not willing to take half my previous salary just because ‘hey-ho’ we’re in a recession.
So my personality has morphed into someone who expects health-care, expects to work from home, expects perks and is accountable to no one but the CEO. Now I am being asked to travel all over Ireland for less than I worked for 15 years ago.
The other type of recruiter’ conversations I have now go something like this. They tell you a major gaming company wants a sales manager (chi-ching I think) and they will speak to them get me a phone interview in two days; face to face interview by the end of the week – sorted! They are buoyed up and they enthuse me. Then I Google the job and I see clearly on their website ‘we do not request the help of any agencies at this time’. No word from the recruiter. I leave messages they go unanswered. Then after two weeks I get a call from another recruiter – ‘Listen I have a great job with a major gaming company looking for a sales manager – it’s perfect for you!’
I hope to never have to deal with a recruitment agency again!!! Another positive!!
