Playin’ the Game

Today was an interesting day.

Recruiter #1 calls. Has a $tiny monies an hour job (she sent me the job description… the scope of the work they want done is a $tiny monies + 5-$tiny monies + 7 an hour job, minimum). I tell her I’m not really interested. I hang up. I panic. Because $tiny monies an hour is $tinymonies an hour more than I’m making. But it’s a contract. 6 months. 45 minute drive away. But, $tiny monies an hour is $tiny monies an hour more than I’m making. I call back. I talk her up to $tiny monies +2 an hour (grudgingly, but it’s still a pretty substantial pay cut and I haven’t worked for so little since 2002). I’m willing to bet the employer is going to tell her I’m not worth it.

Moving on… Recruiter #2 calls. She got my resume from a colleague. For the life of me, I can’t remember if recruiter #2 even told me her name (bad sign). Recruiter #2 has a job that actually pays decently. Still in the same far away location but it’d be a “real” job. And then the “zingers” came at me… “Well, I’m a little concerned that none of the places you’ve done contract work have wanted to bring you onboard….” I was hired to cover specific workloads. Once the overwhelming deluge of work was done, they didn’t need the extra help anymore. There was never even the HINT that there would be something more for me at these jobs. And then she mentioned something about possibly interviewing tomorrow and I asked to know if that was a sure thing because I’d make sure to have the vehicle tomorrow and out comes “Oh, so you’re going to have transportation issues…?” No. No transportation issues. For the five years that my situation has been what it is, I’ve never had transportation issues.

She promised to call and let me know by 4:00PM. No call and it’s now WAAAY past 4PM. Nonetheless, I have made arrangements to have the vehicle at my disposal. So when she calls at the last minute, my happy ass will be prepared and RecruiterLady will be all surprised.

I’ve played this game, lady. I’m sure I’ll play it again. But, I’m very good at it. I’ll cover my bases, you make your move. But don’t for a minute think that I am not aware of what you’re doing. What I can’t figure out is WHY you’re doing it.

I am, at this point, sortve betting that I won’t hear from her again. I won’t be surprised. Why do I say that? The person she got my resume from promised to get back to me in the next day or two over two weeks ago. I finally ended up emailing him and getting told that the hiring company had decided to interview other people. Well, dandy… could you have taken 3 minutes and sent me an email saying “they don’t want you”? Why, oh why, is that so hard?

In any case… I’ve got my game face on…so let’s rumble!