Responding To A Recruiter's E-mail For A Job

[A_SN]

I got this mail from the recruiter of a company who apparently is interested in me. However I have no clue how to reply to this, besides by answer the two questions the recruiter's asking, which would be "in January, unless I get a job before" and "Sure!". Somehow I feel that I should say more in my reply, but I have no idea what.

Here's the mail in question :

QUOTE
I was reading some C/C++ discussions on a newsgroup, when I noticed your positions. I'm intrigued by your knowledge with C development, and studies in Systems and Network Administration.

I recognize you are currently in school. Though, when do you plan on completing your degree?

Would you be interested in exploring full-time, permanent opportunities with our company?


If you guys have any ideas..

 

[Sphinxter]

I keep it short and to the point, "How much for how long?". It's what you want to know that's important, like how they are going to help you achieve your goals in life.

 

[A_SN]

I keep it short and to the point, "How much for how long?". It's what you want to know that's important, like how they are going to help you achieve your goals in life.

Yeah, but they're a prestigious company, the kind you try to impress at all costs because it's not like they've got any problem finding talented hires. So maybe I should make it more convincing than that?

 

[Blah]

An email isn't supposed to be formal. Make it too long and you'll exceed his attention span.

Type something nice up, simply explaining the situation, if its about as long as the email above you've done good.

 

[Squidge]

I'd go along the lines of "Hi, I'm interested. Please tell me more about your company and the positions available." and leave it at that.

Research wins, specially at interview time when you know exactly why you are there, what they offer, etc and can deliver more focused questions.

 

[lizard808uk]

If they're a prestigious company, get them to pay for your degree! If they're interested in you then they should also have an active interest in up-skilling you as well.

 

[Sphinxter]

I keep it short and to the point, "How much for how long?". It's what you want to know that's important, like how they are going to help you achieve your goals in life.

Yeah, but they're a prestigious company, the kind you try to impress at all costs because it's not like they've got any problem finding talented hires. So maybe I should make it more convincing than that?


First mistake is more often than not believing the PR and bull, I'm sure they need you more than you need them especially if you've got skillz. Buy a good suit then and don't be shy about hitting on their wallet. A thin resume may make you even more attractive, I personally love a blank slate, saves time un-teaching people.

 

[LHC]

I keep it short and to the point, "How much for how long?". It's what you want to know that's important, like how they are going to help you achieve your goals in life.

Yeah, but they're a prestigious company, the kind you try to impress at all costs because it's not like they've got any problem finding talented hires. So maybe I should make it more convincing than that?


First mistake is more often than not believing the PR and bull, I'm sure they need you more than you need them especially if you've got skillz. Buy a good suit then and don't be shy about hitting on their wallet. A thin resume may make you even more attractive, I personally love a blank slate, saves time un-teaching people.

It's very rare for a company to "need you more than you need them", even if you have "skillz". Trying to rip them off is only going to get you rejected. I'm not saying go in there and lick their balls but acting like they owe you something won't help.

 

[yaustar]

Keep it formal, I would reply:

I will be finishing my degree "Computer Jumbo Science thing" on XX.XX.XXXX. I am very interested with working with your company and would like to know more about the positions you are looking to fill.

Name

 

[virusx]

And hide your avatar :lol:

 

[Squidge]

It's very rare for a company to "need you more than you need them", even if you have "skillz". Trying to rip them off is only going to get you rejected. I'm not saying go in there and lick their balls but acting like they owe you something won't help.

Companies always want the best skills for the lowest price. They can probably get someone easily if they are willing to pay 50K, but if they are maybe only willing to pay 25K then they could find it much more difficult unless they approach people in education asking them if they want a job when they've finished (perfect first time job, valuable experience, etc).

I'd be wondering why they are searching newsgroups for people to hire if they could get someone within a week anyway. My suspicions would be the salary offered isn't high enough to attract that sort of person, but it would be snatched by someone without a job (such as those in education).

Of course, these are just assumptions, and you may find out otherwise, but your only going to find out more by answering that email...

 

[Sphinxter]

I keep it short and to the point, "How much for how long?". It's what you want to know that's important, like how they are going to help you achieve your goals in life.

Yeah, but they're a prestigious company, the kind you try to impress at all costs because it's not like they've got any problem finding talented hires. So maybe I should make it more convincing than that?


First mistake is more often than not believing the PR and bull, I'm sure they need you more than you need them especially if you've got skillz. Buy a good suit then and don't be shy about hitting on their wallet. A thin resume may make you even more attractive, I personally love a blank slate, saves time un-teaching people.

It's very rare for a company to "need you more than you need them", even if you have "skillz". Trying to rip them off is only going to get you rejected. I'm not saying go in there and lick their balls but acting like they owe you something won't help.


A manager without employees is nothing. Companies don't last without a continual infusion of new blood and quality people, they wither and die rapidly, you probably won't die and can go beg for change. In the lifecycle of every tech job I've ever had and my resume is now over 4 pages approaching it's third decade the rule has always been; "If you don't get it on the way in you never will". Being cheap and easy does not get you any respect. In programming respect equals cash. I recommend taking the mercenary approach right off the top rather than waiting till you wake up chained in a cube after getting your brains sucked out for ten years with next to nothing to show for it. It does take consulting for a while before you get to where you can sense their desperation and pocket depth, sort of a force thing, it will come.

 

[BaDToaD]

"If you don't get it on the way in you never will"

Often the case but not always. If you have the balls to go head to head with the bosses and you have the skills you can get a hefty payrise.

I had been getting a bit peed off with my salary and decided enough was enough. Wrote down my skillset. Matched some salaries to it and slapped it down in front of the bosses and more or less said do something about it or I'm off.

2 weeks later they came back with a £500 salary increase... Per Month!

 

[Squidge]

Wow, the couple of jobs I've had, pay rises normally only occur after a formal letter of "I've got a new job on a higher salary, bye!".

 

[Sphinxter]

"If you don't get it on the way in you never will"

Often the case but not always. If you have the balls to go head to head with the bosses and you have the skills you can get a hefty payrise.

I had been getting a bit peed off with my salary and decided enough was enough. Wrote down my skillset. Matched some salaries to it and slapped it down in front of the bosses and more or less said do something about it or I'm off.

2 weeks later they came back with a £500 salary increase... Per Month!


Mmmm, the force is strong in this one. Not sure how much that is but I only got a raise of 500 anything at the same address once after being handed the opportunity to literally save the corporate bacon, way to assert yourself dude, you will go far.

 

[BaDToaD]

Mmmm, the force is strong in this one. Not sure how much that is but I only got a raise of 500 anything at the same address once after being handed the opportunity to literally save the corporate bacon, way to assert yourself dude, you will go far.

It's a little over $1000. The payrise has moved me up to the salary I should be on but no higher. I'm happy with that though.

The point is I am an IT manager. I have NO staff working under me. I Run a 5 site WAN, VPN, Exchange 2003 server. Support 86 desktops across the 5 sites and their Apps etc. Plus half a dozen remote access laptops. I've project managed a couple of complete IT overhauls on a couple of smaller businesses we've swallowed up in the last 2 years. One 15 user site didn't even have an internet dial up let alone a network and desktop email etc :blink:

Very little is outsourced. I even fix hardware faults on the desktops but refused to take on the Servers and Mission Critical Printers etc.

Would I change my job... Hell no! I love the challenge and not having a clue what I'll be doing the next day

PS Sphinxter. I've been in the business about as long as you have I started on ICL TME and VME based mainframes.

 

[Squidge]

QUOTE
I love the challenge and not having a clue what I'll be doing the next day


I'm a software developer with the same problem

One day I'm coding away, the next I'm ripping a car apart to see how it works, the next I'm doing IT stuff.

 

[A_SN]

Done, I followed yaustar's advice by copy/pasting what he said

QUOTE
Hi Priya,

I completed my scholarship in October. I am very interested with working with your company and would like to know more about the positions you are looking to fill.

Kind regards,

Michel Rouzic

PS : You will find along with this e-mail my resume and portfolio

 

[OMars]

Done, I followed yaustar's advice by copy/pasting what he said

QUOTE
Hi Priya,

I completed my scholarship in October. I am very interested with working with your company and would like to know more about the positions you are looking to fill.

Kind regards,

Michel Rouzic

PS : You will find along with this e-mail my resume and portfolio


Wow, great resume and portfolio. Good luck, man. Nice name, by the way!

 

[A_SN]

Done, I followed yaustar's advice by copy/pasting what he said

QUOTE
Hi Priya,

I completed my scholarship in October. I am very interested with working with your company and would like to know more about the positions you are looking to fill.

Kind regards,

Michel Rouzic

PS : You will find along with this e-mail my resume and portfolio


Wow, great resume and portfolio. Good luck, man. Nice name, by the way!

lol, thanks, but what's so nice about my name?