Recruiter-Rater

Designeers Midwest
7817 Cooper Rd Suite B
Cincinnati, OH 45242
513-793-6670
800-940-6670

Designeers contacted me via an anonymous resume on Monster.com with a position in southwestern Ohio. While it sounded good at first, it was one of the stranger contacts I've had. I'm still confused. This company is about 3 hours from my present location, and the only way you can get an interview is to take a test on site. The test is about 45 minutes long. I figure that I spent about 18 hours driving back and forth to this place.

I take the test, interview, interview again. I do fairly well. One of the things I noticed about the company was that a good portion of the people I'd be working with were young, as in "Right Out Of College, First Job" young. These jobs paid fairly nicely, so I'm guessing that most of the people accepted without even considering the things I had to. Not a problem, but I wonder why there were no older people doing these high-skill jobs. I'm pretty sure I know after riding the merry-go-round at the contract company!

This abbreviated conversation took place after I interviewed and was offered the job:

Designeers: The company would like to hire you. They are offering $X!
Me: That's lower than we discussed, but it's reasonable for the position.
D: Well, are you going to take it?
M: What's the rest of the offer? You mentioned medical, etc. and they talked considerably about having relocation packages and fringe benefits.
D: You don't get those yet. You'd be working under contract.
M: I know that. However, I'd like to know what's being offered before I accept.
D: You don't get those yet. Why do you want to know about that?
M: I'm over 30. Medical means more to me now than when I was 21. I own property that I can't just leave, which is why I'd like to know about relocation.
D: Well, I just don't understand why you need to know that. They're offering you the job. I've never had anyone else ask those kinds of questions.

At this point, I'm thinking it's probably not a good place to be...

M: I'm sorry. I understand how a contract-to-hire works. But I can't walk away from what I have now ( a sucky, but fulltime job that pays more and has benefits, and a home ) for something that's mostly unknown.
D: This is more than you're making now. Why are you asking these questions?
M: We've never discussed my current salary level, so I'm not sure where you're getting that information. But, it is about 15% less than my current position pays.
D: Well, I'll ask, but I don't think you're going to get anything.

Sigh...At this point, I break off contact with Designeers for a short time with a "Thank you for your interest, I'm not." message. But, they call me back anyway. They finally gives me a broadsheet with the company's benefits package listed, along with a stern "You don't get this yet. You're a contractor.", a "The company doesn't understand why you want to know this. They've never had anyone else hiring for one of these positions ask about this," and a "If they offered you anything like this when they hired you, it would be based soley on how you perform."

M: I didn't get any information about the relocation they offer. Was that included?
D: They didn't understand why you wanted to know about that. They're getting upset that you keep asking about those things.
M: I'm sorry, but they brought them up. I can't just walk away from a mortgage without knowing if I'm going to eat it or be able to do something with it.
D: I'm not asking you to do that, you're going to get pre-tax money to get an apartment here.
M: But I still have the mortgage. I can't pay for both. I really need to know. They did mention it many times during the interviews...
D: (rudely) Ok, but I don't understand yadda yadda...

At this point, I don't have any intention of accepting, but I'm going to see this through. For the most part, the contact between me and Designeers is now through email. I don't speak with them on the phone from this point on.
D: Call Ann from (company.) She has the information you need.
M: Thank you.

Me: Hello Ann. I was informed that part of the package offered by (company) is relocation. Since I'd be moving to take the position, I'd like to know about that. I don't need exacting figures, but I would like a general idea of what to expect.
Ann: That's fine. It would depend mostly on where you're coming from and what position you'd be taking.
M: Ok. I'm coming from (city) and I'm being offered (position)
A: Ok. I need to calculate that out. Can I call you back tomorrow? If you don't hear from me then, call me Monday.
M: Thank you.

Now. I'm really confused. Everything Ann told me was that there was a standard, quantifiable package that was offered. Not a "Depends on how you do."

Friday rolls by. Monday. Voice mail. Tuesday. Voice mail. Friday. Voice mail. Monday...

Me: Ann didn't call me back, and I've been unable to get with her. Have you heard anything?
Designeers: Ann is no longer with the company.
M: Ok. Did they give you any of the information I requested?
D: They aren't going to. They don't understand why you want this and they are probably not going to extend the offer anymore.
M: That's fine. I can't accept not knowing what I'm accepting. I make an analogy about buying a car sight unseen, but it apparently goes over their heads.
D: You seem to misunderstand. You won't be working for this company, you're working for me until they hire you.
M: Thank you. I'm not interested based on the fact that it's lower pay, I would have to move to take it, and it has no benefits.
D: But I d...........

I ignore further contacts from this company.

I'm not sure what was driving the "No one has ever asked" conversation from Designeers. I can't believe that no one has ever asked those questions, and I'm confused as to why they were so reluctant to discuss it. Every other company I've interviewed with for a second time has given me tons of information - some even gave it in the initial contact.

I'll chalk this one up to "We always hire recent grads who are looking for a first paycheck."

So: Thoughts, comments? I'd like to hear some contractor's insights on this one.

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