Question about recruiters/job offers

nolanfan34 · #1 08-10-2005, 01:49 AM

Hoping someone out there has worked as a recruiter for a company, or can help answer this.

Semi-quick backstory. A few months back I was recommended for a job with a large company. I interviewed with a couple of different manager types. This was outside of the traditional entry HR process for this particular company.

After those interviews, I had a call from a recruiter who told me he would be handling my job offer. Cool.

The offer never came, because it turned out that they decided to wait while doing some restructuring. One of the managers I interviewed with wanted to make sure he had a spot for me before making an offer.

This past week, things started to move again. He decided I would be better for a different group in the company, and had me interview with someone there. I did that, and a couple of days later was told by THAT manager that I would be receiving an offer, and congratulations. Cool again.

Well, this time I hear from a DIFFERENT recruiter, who is all confused about what's going on, because somehow in this process I've never filled out an application or any paperwork, so I'm not fully in the HR system. Somehow this prevents her from extending the job offer.

So I do that paperwork stuff this week, and wait again. Today, I have a message when I get home from work, that they just hired someone who I would be reporting to, and now I need to interview with THIS person on the phone. What a cluster-****.

SO - here's where my question comes in. How much pressure is a recruiter under to make a hire, when they've been told to make an offer. I don't understand this latest snag, but do I have any leverage here as the candidate? Honestly, I hadn't been job hunting at all, but if I had an offer from another company at this point I'd be saying "f-this process, I'll work for company X instead."

Just wondering what my play is here. I don't have another offer at the moment elsewhere, and I really want this job, but I'm getting tired being told I'm getting an offer, and then getting jerked around again.

Anyone have some thoughts?

miajag81 · #2 08-10-2005, 01:51 AM

Remind me to never work for a large company.

stabn · #3 08-10-2005, 02:02 AM

Nolan,

My guess is this is the last hurdle and you should just suck it up and do it. I don't think you really have any leverage here. The paperwork thing and this at the last minute are people dotting i's and crossing t's before they do the deal. A new manager is always going to want to interview their new team themselves, and while it seems to just be piling on i'm sure no one means to give you the run around.

TheWorstPlayer · #4 08-10-2005, 02:05 AM

You have no leverage. They will [censored] you and you will like it. Sorry, but that's what happens when you work for the Man (or want to).

RacersEdge · #5 08-10-2005, 02:19 AM

For one, if they made an offer - even verbally it's a contract - if you accepted it. Of course they can fire you right away too.

There is so much bureocracy at big firms that operating outside the loop can paralyze people inside the loop. I don't think the recruiter feels pressure - he just will do whatever the managers decide. He just lines up the interviews and types up the offers. I would be more concerned with there being a good fit with you and the naager you would be reporting to but haven't talked to yet.

nolanfan34 · #6 08-10-2005, 11:14 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I would be more concerned with there being a good fit with you and the naager you would be reporting to but haven't talked to yet.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, this is my only concern. It would be weird to have been approved by three people who are higher than this person, but then have them decide I'm not a good fit, etc.

Thanks for the other thoughts guys, pretty much what I thought, I'll just have to go with the flow and see what happens.

sfer · #7 08-10-2005, 11:47 AM

Same job as before? Sounds like there's a significant restructuring there and you're starting over. You might want this job but it's entirely possible that "the job" is very different from what you were expecting it to be months ago.

sfer · #8 08-10-2005, 11:48 AM

[ QUOTE ]
For one, if they made an offer - even verbally it's a contract - if you accepted it. Of course they can fire you right away too.

There is so much bureocracy at big firms that operating outside the loop can paralyze people inside the loop. I don't think the recruiter feels pressure - he just will do whatever the managers decide. He just lines up the interviews and types up the offers. I would be more concerned with there being a good fit with you and the naager you would be reporting to but haven't talked to yet.

[/ QUOTE ]

Recruiters typically feel pressure in that their performance, in a quantifiable sense, is how many open positions they fill.