This afternoon I had an interview for a temp-to-perm position that I saw posted by a contingent staffing firm, let's call them BigTemp, that I've worked with over the years. BigTemp is a global firm, so it's not some Mickey Mouse outfit. Over the course of my interview with John & Mary from Client Co, the subject of salary comes up.
The job description posted on the BigTemp website indicated the salary range was $20-$22/hr. which is what I tell John & Mary from Client Co. A brief look of surprise passed between them and John said that the temp salary range for this job tops out at $18/hr. They wondered if there was a miscommunication between the recruiter they worked with and the recruiter I normally dealt with. That's the charitable way of looking at it.
Call me cynical, but I look at it as bait & switch. Why? Because about a month ago, I interviewed for a permanent job via BigTemp and the max. salary was $2000 less than stated in the job posting. But, hey, what's the big deal over $2-$4/hr ? Annualized for a 40- hour week it's $4,160 - $8,320/yr. Not chump change.
I was meh on this job so I don't care whether I get an offer. But I'm really annoyed with BigTemp. There are slimy staffing agencies out there but I wouldn't have said BigTemp was one of them, until today. They reel in candidates with one salary range that they know the client has no intention of paying. Then, if you're offered the job, the recruiter will have a list of reasons why the company doesn't feel you merit the "top rate". You're told that once you prove yourself, you'll make it up with annual raises.
B.U.L.L.S.H.I.T.
$22/hr is 22% more than an $18/hr rate. Given that salary increases aren't a guarantee for even good employees these days and the avg. annual wage increase is 2%, it will take about a decade to make up that $4 per hour difference.
I think I'll be breezing past the job postings from BigTemp from now on. I can't work with people I can't trust.
My former supervisor, Kathy, always referred to Human Resources as the Human Remains dept. As in most things, Kathy was right and what was true in the 90's is even more so today.
Do HR recruiters actually recruit these days? My guess is no; their recruiting efforts extend primarily to attending job fairs and posting openings on job boards. They solicit resumes but they don't actually recruit talent by networking, referrals from employees or otherwise actively seeking already-employed candidates with the skills they desire. They're passive participants in their job.
The HR passiveness continues with the use of software to scan resumes. Software is touted as increasing efficiency because there's no way an overburdened HR dept can actually READ all the resumes submitted. I think that's bullshit in all but the rarest cases.
My diatribe on resume-scanning software will have to wait till tomorrow, Gentle Reader, because I'm beat.
I have been gainfully unemployed for almost 4 months. As pissed off as I am about not having a job, I'm glad I'm no longer driving to Company X five days a week. The job wasn't nearly as fast-paced as I'd been told. Worse, there was a deadly hush over the office. I'm used to working where there's a steady white noise of activity and you talk to your colleagues as you work. At Company X, everyone spoke in hushed tones and there was little chit chat among coworkers as you went about your day. Most people were nice but it was an odd place.
The job search process is more frustrating this time than it has been in the past. I rant to my family, on Facebook and to my dogs, who show complete disinterest. So, the blog is part commiseration with my fellow job-seekers and part cheap therapy for me. Maybe there will be a few nuggets of information that others will find helpful. As much as I believe everyone is entitled to my opinion :-), committing my thoughts to the internet is at odds with one of my favorite quotes, "Never write a letter, never throw one away" - Frank Rizzo, former mayor of Philadelphia.
Advance warning - if you're offended by swearage, this isn't the blog for you. I'll try to limit my longshoreman tendencies but this is a blog about the frustration of finding a new job, after all.
