Discrimination against the unemployed?

[Anonymous]

That would be good way to handle that objection to the recruiter "I appreciate your clients position but let me ask you this - who would you say makes the best choice for your client : unemployed, happy to find a job, very grateful; OR, the guy who interviewed when he was supposed to be working, doesn't really need a job but wants more money, nicer car, better bene's, or just couldn't get along with previous boss or had trouble with "rules" where he was working? because if I understand you correclty that's what I hear you proposing.

With the way the world works today, we are all just numbers. Your objection answer would just get laughed at. I am not saying this to be rude, its just the truth.

Its a terrible job market out there, and companies out there want the perfect person on paper, even if they can't sell crap.

 

[Anonymous]

The bottom line is that it is an employers market for everybody. For pharma and med sales, it has been this way for sometime; it will likely remain so for a long time for various reasons.

With so many qualified candidates available for any open positions requirements, like being currently employed, are a way of narrowing the field from the outset. Recruiters and HR love the path of least resistance. Sometimes you can get around these "requirements" by getting an internal referral. You have to network yourself and do something in your time between jobs (a course at a community college, a community leadership role, or volunteer work).

Good luck to everybody. My personal advice would be to get out of this field altogether -- unfortunately, that's not an easy transition to make right now either.

So true....recruiters never return calls or e-mails for that matter...networking is the best way into any position! I have quit using recruiter---PERIOD!

 

[Anonymous]

So true....recruiters never return calls or e-mails for that matter...networking is the best way into any position! I have quit using recruiter---PERIOD!

Recruiters cause more harm than good in this market. You may get an interview, but they will go with the in-house or direct referral candidate. The person from the recruiter is first out.

I am over 40 have a high base salary and one-gap in my resume. I will no longer be grilled by someone in a cubicle hoping to place me. If the recruiter is not a family member of the hiring manager for get it.

I have been out of work for over a year. They love to ask "what have I been doing?"

I have been sitting at home without a job, health care, no income, lost savings and retirement the house will be next. Truly, I love waking up in the morning with no place to go and the chance of being homeless.

 

[Anonymous]

Recruiters cause more harm than good in this market. You may get an interview, but they will go with the in-house or direct referral candidate. The person from the recruiter is first out.

I am over 40 have a high base salary and one-gap in my resume. I will no longer be grilled by someone in a cubicle hoping to place me. If the recruiter is not a family member of the hiring manager for get it.

I have been out of work for over a year. They love to ask "what have I been doing?"

I have been sitting at home without a job, health care, no income, lost savings and retirement the house will be next. Truly, I love waking up in the morning with no place to go and the chance of being homeless.

You might want to try anther sales industry. You may have to start over but it will be worth it.

Not to pity you, but I didn't want to be in your situation so Left pharma before I turned 30 because I didn't want to be in your situation. When you sell a tangible product with sales that can be directly credited back to you, you are much more likely to keep your job. Pharma will never offer that. I started pharma when I was 26 and between 26 and 29 I was laid off once. I knew it was a bad omen.

Try copiers, payroll, office furniture, insurance, etc. If you a good closer, you can do quite well.

 

[Anonymous]

You might want to try anther sales industry. You may have to start over but it will be worth it.

Not to pity you, but I didn't want to be in your situation so Left pharma before I turned 30 because I didn't want to be in your situation. When you sell a tangible product with sales that can be directly credited back to you, you are much more likely to keep your job. Pharma will never offer that. I started pharma when I was 26 and between 26 and 29 I was laid off once. I knew it was a bad omen.

Try copiers, payroll, office furniture, insurance, etc. If you a good closer, you can do quite well.

This is very good advice! You just have to let go, forget trying to pick up where you left off. Too many people I know have tried this with no success. Take this person's suggestion and start over. If you are good in "real" sales you can make as much money as you want and you are indispensible to your employer. That said you're only as good as your last month's numbers, and you kiss a lot of client ass. If you have great relationships with the buyers and purchasing agents though, you're golden!

 

[Anonymous]

Recruiters cause more harm than good in this market. You may get an interview, but they will go with the in-house or direct referral candidate. The person from the recruiter is first out.

I am over 40 have a high base salary and one-gap in my resume. I will no longer be grilled by someone in a cubicle hoping to place me. If the recruiter is not a family member of the hiring manager for get it.

I have been out of work for over a year. They love to ask "what have I been doing?"

I have been sitting at home without a job, health care, no income, lost savings and retirement the house will be next. Truly, I love waking up in the morning with no place to go and the chance of being homeless.

I believe you are not entirely accurate about recruiters. After 35 years in this industry (with 1 company, go figure!), in both sales, training and management, my experience with recruiters has been almost exactly the opposite. Maybe you are just dealing with the wrong recruiters? I have a short list of recruiters that I have dealt with for the last 15 or 20 years and EVERY single candidate that they have sent to me could have been successful on the job. Great selling background, proven successful, exceptional interviewing abilities and a personality that can deal effectively with anyone with or without a pulse. You need to find better recruiters. Or another personality and line of work. Your choice. Good luck.

 

[Anonymous]

I believe you are not entirely accurate about recruiters. After 35 years in this industry (with 1 company, go figure!), in both sales, training and management, my experience with recruiters has been almost exactly the opposite. Maybe you are just dealing with the wrong recruiters? I have a short list of recruiters that I have dealt with for the last 15 or 20 years and EVERY single candidate that they have sent to me could have been successful on the job. Great selling background, proven successful, exceptional interviewing abilities and a personality that can deal effectively with anyone with or without a pulse. You need to find better recruiters. Or another personality and line of work. Your choice. Good luck.

Well, 90 percent are scum.

but, there are the good ones, like Christina Cole in Nashville.

 

[Anonymous]

I believe you are not entirely accurate about recruiters. After 35 years in this industry (with 1 company, go figure!), in both sales, training and management, my experience with recruiters has been almost exactly the opposite. Maybe you are just dealing with the wrong recruiters? I have a short list of recruiters that I have dealt with for the last 15 or 20 years and EVERY single candidate that they have sent to me could have been successful on the job. Great selling background, proven successful, exceptional interviewing abilities and a personality that can deal effectively with anyone with or without a pulse. You need to find better recruiters. Or another personality and line of work. Your choice. Good luck.

Agreed I have a recruiter i have known for 5 years and even though I am not looking for a job, he and I talk every 6 months for 20 minutes to just catch up, etc. He is an older guy in his late 60s which is nice because he has been recruiting for 20 years and knows people in my local market. He is also not one to use words like "hungry" to describe a candidate. These new recruiters who use shit like that, well, it gets embarrassing.

I think this is the way to do it.

 

[Anonymous]

What if you have been off for over a year due to illness? I'm fine now, but took some extra time to "celebrate", if you will, after having cancer by some travel and visiting friends/relatives I haven't seen in years. My gut's telliing me not to mention it because an employer may not want to go there, on the other hand, talk about being "hungry" for the opportunity to get back in the game.

 

[Anonymous]

What if you have been off for over a year due to illness? I'm fine now, but took some extra time to "celebrate", if you will, after having cancer by some travel and visiting friends/relatives I haven't seen in years. My gut's telliing me not to mention it because an employer may not want to go there, on the other hand, talk about being "hungry" for the opportunity to get back in the game.

Just find a job outside of pharma.

Its not a big deal.

Pharma is not everything.

It is more important to cut down expenses, find a job you can do and do well, and life smart.

Pharma is stupid anyway!

 

[Walking Eagle]

What if you have been off for over a year due to illness? I'm fine now, but took some extra time to "celebrate", if you will, after having cancer by some travel and visiting friends/relatives I haven't seen in years. My gut's telliing me not to mention it because an employer may not want to go there, on the other hand, talk about being "hungry" for the opportunity to get back in the game.

Call it personal leave. Never divulge serious illness to a prospective employer. They label you immediately as potential problem and unlikely to hire youi.

 

[Anonymous]

My favorite is "So ---- what have you been doing?"

The first interview question.

I have been waking up every morning enjoying the fact I have another day of unemployment.

Sure, I am close to losing my house, my wife and life as I know it, but I just love sitting around waiting for the phone to ring like a 13 year old.

I love life without: a purpose, money, health care, retirement savings, professional relationships and supporting my family.

Stupid question.

 

[Anonymous]

Contact the EEOC - they just had hearing on this Wednesday, Feb 16 regarding the discrimination against the unemployed. The more complaints the EEOC receives, it will put an end to this.

 

[Anonymous]

Call it personal leave. Never divulge serious illness to a prospective employer. They label you immediately as potential problem and unlikely to hire youi.

Get an interview with Pfizer - that will kill the hunger.

 

[Anonymous]

What if you have been off for over a year due to illness? I'm fine now, but took some extra time to "celebrate", if you will, after having cancer by some travel and visiting friends/relatives I haven't seen in years. My gut's telliing me not to mention it because an employer may not want to go there, on the other hand, talk about being "hungry" for the opportunity to get back in the game.

Have to agree with WE on this one. There is no need to reveal this and it could hurt you. It will be harder to describe, but you could just say that you made a decision to take some extended time off and to travel. Perhaps even indicate the impetus was a serious illness in the family and realization you hadn't visisted some people close to you in years? Hmm...that still sounds odd, as does just personal time off. Especially in this market, that would raise red flags. You need to define the time off some how.