In the recruiting business it is my job to sell YOU as an individual with a certain skill set. Because of this, I need to know what you do, how you do it, and what malfunctions may result in the near future. For instance, if you have a tendency to go on 2 week alcohol benders where you disappear and eventually are found twitching outside a Dairy Queen, I’m going to need to know that. Also, if I contact you about a position and ask you if you have ever sent your work there and you say “NO”…and then I find out that they have received your resume everyday for the last year and you may have been spotted with binoculars in the agency bushes, I’m not going to be happy. In this event, you have wasted my time and made it look like I didn’t do my job thoroughly. When in reality, all I can do is ask the proper questions and hope I don’t have to read through your thick and heavy deceit.

However, don’t think that in certain situations I can’t smell your bullshit with its formidable aroma. For instance, the fact that you are talking to me in general lets me know that you are on the job hunt. I’m not stupid and I definitely don’t think you have made a life commitment to me as your job sensei. I am not going to cry myself to sleep listening to Boys II Men if you tell me you have an interview elsewhere. Here’s a shock, being honest about it would actually be beneficial to both parties. How could that be you may ask? I’ll tell you. One reason is because I often have information about agencies that is not public knowledge. If you are a woman, you might want to know that the Creative Director of agency X only allows men on company trips. But hey, if you like being discriminated against, ROCK ON and put some pretty stickers on that glass ceiling because you’re not going anywhere. Secondly, and most importantly, if you tell me honestly what another tag]agency[/tag] is going to offer you then we can start the bidding with the agency I have you in with. I will let them know agency X is offering 100K so if they want you they will have to give you 110K. I know what you are thinking Captain Deception, “WHAT? I CAN GET MORE MONEY BY BEING HONEST”. Yes, yes you can. And as an added bonus, you get to feel extra cool and needed in the process. However, if you are dishonest and make my job ten times harder than it should be then guess who’s not going to be there to pick up the pieces of your portfolio when you are out of another job? Me.

But, I will direct you to a “Sound of Heartbreak” CD that should help you heal the wounds.

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