Recruiters

Why is it that recruiters feel so much more excited and positive about my situation than I do? ;) Some of them must be nearly terminal with skin cancer because with them the sun is always shining...

Over the years I have come to trust a couple of recruiters and view with skepticism the rest of the lot. So, when this latest job crisis hit, I only called one, the person who has placed me the last two times I moved, both times when I was in the midst of a crisis of one sort or another. She's honest, tells me where I wouldn't fit, and what I'm "worth" in the marketplace. Occasionally she misses, but they are honest misses.

She sent me a loooonnnggg list of current openings in my profession, and has referred me to another recruiter she works with who is a more general executive placement type. She trusts him, and I will too - at least until I talk to him.

So, anyway, there's lots of opportunity apparently, and many wonderful companies out there who are going begging for talent... wonder why that is? If they're so wonderful...

Well, let's not start that line of thinking just yet. Remember, Bob, it's a business deal between a seller and a buyer of services... :)

So, eliminating both coasts because of the horrid cost of living compared to the Midwest, the many opportunities become fewer, but still more than a handful. The hardest part of all this becomes the interviewing. First one or two by phone, then wait. Then maybe another in person, then wait. And you do this with multiple companies at once, so as to maximize your chances. Fortunately, I have time. I've got about 3 months before I have to leave, and to receive any severance from Bell Ins., I would have to stay until then anyway. So, there's no rush at least, and there should be ample opportunity to work a variety of positions and companies.

As I'm typing, the other executive recruiter is calling and I have him on speakerphone while I type... I have great respect for the guy already... ha! He's a little brusque, maybe even gruff, but who knows what he'll produce - the first position description he says he'll send me is for a service center manager in a neighboring state, in a reasonably similar city to mine. We'll see...

I'm tired of all this already. Maybe it's an age thing. More on that in the next post.