Pushy Recruiter

[shoegalRN, RN]

Hello all!

I am an experienced travel nurse and I'm signed up with two agencies. On the advice on another traveler, I decided to sign up for a third agency. From the get go, I felt this recruiter and I just did not "click".

I was very direct about my needs, explaining I am currently at home working until January. I advised I am NOT available until after the second week in January because I am signed up on the schedule for my home job.

For starters, I feel he just don't listen. His personality is very aggressive and he literally called me three times back to back while I was filling out my application and doing the online requirements to make sure I "was doing them". I also provided two professional references (the ones I use all the time), along with their e-mail addresses and he called one of the references several times, leaving several messages. Then he proceeded to call me and asked for a personal cell phone number for the reference and I told him I will not provide that info, he will need to e-mail them, as I have provided an e-mail address on both references.

Fast forward to yesterday, I come out the gym to check my phone, I have two messages from him stating he has submitted me to a hospital in CA, and I need to get back with him ASAP because they want to interview me TODAY. We have not discussed anything about submission. While I'm checking the e-mail, he is calling me, I answer and he gives me the PERSONAL cell phone number for the the ED manager and instruct me to call her ASAP for an interview. I asked him a series of questions like what type of hospital it is, (he could not answer if teaching or non teaching), I asked him what is it for days or nights (he didnt know, states you can ask the manager during the interview), I asked him if it was for 36 or 48 hours, again, he couldn't answer.

Meanwhile, I got two messages from the ED manager for an interview, all while I was working in the ED. I called the recruiter back and told him I'm working in the ED, assigned to trauma, and there is no way I can possible sit down for a 30 minute interview unless it's on my lunch break and I have other business calls I need to make. I also expressed I feel like I'm being strong armed into giving an interview.

This recruiter has since called FIVE MORE TIMES during my work day and left several messages. I do not want to do the interview and I want to cut ties with this company all together, considering I'm just not feeling their business practices.

Any advice? BTW, my other company has submitted me for another job I really want in Southern CA and I like my recruiter at this company. It's like a day and night difference.

[NedRN]

Having a third and fourth and fifth agency is indeed a good idea. Picking an agency at random no matter the recruiter is not. Call multiple agencies and choose the recruiters that you do fit well with. Don't sign up with ones you don't like, then they cannot submit you.

Not sure I understand your question here. If you don't fit well with a recruiter, why continue? Do you have the same pattern with other relationships in your life? If so, you have a bigger problem you should recognize and address.

[ponymom]

I don't see any need for any advice, but that is just me. Just tell the recruiter how and what you feel.

Teach him how you would like to be treated. He seems a bit of a hardass lunkhead.

Good luck and hope things turn out well.

[shoegalRN, RN]

Having a third and fourth and fifth agency is indeed a good idea. Picking an agency at random no matter the recruiter is not. Call multiple agencies and choose the recruiters that you do fit well with. Don't sign up with ones you don't like, then they cannot submit you.

Not sure I understand your question here. If you don't fit well with a recruiter, why continue? Do you have the same pattern with other relationships in your life? If so, you have a bigger problem you should recognize and address.

My question was if I should go ahead with the interview. I've told this recruiter that I didnt want to interview since I will not be going out into January. And his response was "you can discuss that during the interview".

After I made this post, I decided that I was gonna call him first thing on Monday morning and tell him that it's just not working out and I'm not interested in working with his company any longer. Just never had an experience like that with a recruiter before.

[Dinsey]

I have had very aggressive recruiters calling me (without signing up with them). Nobody makes money off of me while being rude to me - what kind of sense does that make? It sounds like this isn't even an opportunity that would work for you - why let this bully push you into it? He's clearly not motivated by your needs or wants.

[trackhead, APRN]

The good side of this story is a motivated recruiter is better than a slow, unresponsive one. But like anything in life, there's a balance, and this guy is way beyond it.

[NedRN]

Ok, you don't know if it is days or nights, teaching or not, if time off is available: do you at least know what the compensation might be? If you really know nothing except not liking this recruiter then this is a total waste of your time and the hospital's time for that matter. Forget about it!

As a side point, 30 minutes is a really long interview!

[been there,done it]

I've ran across pushy recruiters, but that is outrageous. I would not only withdraw my application, I would tell him AND his manager exactly why I was doing so.

As you know, you have your pick of agencies that will treat you well.

Good luck! Let us know about your next assignment.

[wanderlust99]

He sounds like a nut job. Good luck.

[gypsyd8]

This sounds just like a recruiter I dealt with a couple months ago. I do not see him with the agency I am working with anymore. I got me wondering.

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

I too had one of these aggressive and controlling recruiters from a large agency.

She had the audacity to demand that I apply for a California license immediately.

Then she submitted me to a PICU position in NM and a Trauma center in Oklahoma without talking to me first.

Three years later, and even after I told her not to contact me anymore and I blocked her numbers, I am still getting calls occasionally from this person.

[NedRN]

Unfortunately, these stories demonstrate that these recruiter strategies work. ICURNmaggie's example still has the recruiter working three years later. I'm not convinced that they work as well as other, friendlier strategies for building long term relationships with travelers, but there is no doubt they capture business from travelers who appreciate the guidance and directions.