Unfortunately in my line of work as a consultant, I am contacted far too often by resume hoarders, who are “recruiters” who sole job is to collect resumes, with no attempt at all to try to match the right person with the position that is open.  It’s just a matter of collecting resumes and the persons required pay rate and passing them all onto the client.  No vetting to see if you have the required skills, no seeing if you have the people skills – you are just a number and they just want to spit out a million resumes to the client.  It’s all about volume (which will become evident when you see their low markup).  Even worse is when the client is not the end-client, but rather a middle-man that adds another layer in the process (i.e. who is called an “implementation partner” but is just another recruiting firm).  In essence, you have a company that is just a resume hoarder working for a recruiting company who does not want to bother with finding people on their own.

It is a tiered system.  Prime contractors have the direct relationship with the customer.  Subprime do sourcing work for the prime contractors, taking a small markup.  Sub-subprime (and so on) do work for the subprimes, like collecting resumes for people that haven’t posted theirs on dice, monster, etc. These are the resume hoarders I am referring to.

These resume hoarders are notorious for sending out spam: wading through thousands of resumes and LinkedIn profiles for a keyword and mass mailing those unfortunate people with that keyword.  Their hope is out of thousands of emails they will get 1-2 people who don’t know any better and will submit their resume.

Below is a recent conversation that I had with one of these resume hoarders, who was working for a company called TM (not their real name of course).  I have had contacts with many other companies who were “implementing partners” of TM.  TM likely looks at the resumes with the lowest rate and submits them to their client.  It’s all a numbers game with no desire to determine what is best for the client and what is best for the consultant.

With these firms you won’t get any insight on where you stand in the process and if you get declined there won’t be any feedback.  There is no client connections/value/help in understanding the job opportunity, and this will just turn in to a wild goose chase and a waste of your time.  Your resume will just go in to a black hole and there will be minimal accountability.

Here is the email chain (rates are fake):

Dear James

Hope you are doing well,

Please find job description below and let me know if you are available immediate for below position.

BI Lead

Houston, TX

1+ Year

(details omitted)

>> What is the pay rate?

Rate is open please let me know what rate are you expecting?

>> Find out for the client what the pay rate is and I’ll let you know if I’m interested.

Ok we do have a number $50-60/hr on corp to corp all-inclusive. Please let me know if you are ok with this to move further?

>> Sorry, my rate is double that. You will need to look for a junior-level person.

Ok please let me know your number I can pay you that rate as I told you my number?

>> As I said, my rate is double that, which is $100 – $110, way out of your range.

No we can pay you $110/hr on corp to corp all-inclusive and its with Client X, Please send me your updated resume with contact details ASAP. [My note]: They will say you can be paid whatever you want to convince you to send them your resume

>> You tell me that the client is willing to pay $50-$60/hr, and now you say they are willing to pay double that? You will need to explain that, as I don’t send me resume and contact details unless I know the client is aware of my rate and there is a good chance at an interview. Too many resume collectors out there that waste my time. Is Client X your direct client?

I told you already that rate is open and you told me to find out and I have given you number $60/hr. So the rate is open we can pay you $110/hr and we are going through with our Implementing partner we are not working with direct client. Please let me know?

>> Who is your implementing partner? Can someone from that company contact me about the position?

It’s with TM. And no one can contact you for this as they just get the requirements from Client they not do recruiting like us.

>> Thanks for the clarification. So if I give you my resume, what happens next?

We will submit to our implementing partner and they will contact you through us and they will try to schedule your interview with Client X ASAP. Please send me your resume to move further.

>> Great, thanks. One more question before I submit my resume: What is your markup rate, and what is the rate you will bill the client?

Only $3/hr will be margin on your submittal and if client will hire’s you. Please send me your resume I appreciate. [My note]: So they get $3/hr, then TM adds their markup, and that determines the client bill rate.

>> Aren’t you or TM going to interview me first to see if I am what Client X is looking for?

TM will be do this. Can you please send me your resume our work is just to submit your resume to them they will take care of your hiring process.

[My note]: If you do submit your resume, they will call or email you to request info about yourself (usually the last 4 digits of your SSN).  Then they will want you to reply to an email to confirm your pay rate.  This email will indicate you will be contacted by another recruiter to be given more details on the opportunity.  Then you will never hear from them again.  I have done this process dozens of times and never once received any further communication at all, in large part because of my rate as they try to find junior-level people or visa-sponsored people who will accept a low rate.  There is no thought given to what is best for the client.

I asked my recruiter friend about this.  His response: “Run.  Ran away as fast as you can!”