Intersource Executive Search

Never in the entirety of my existence have I ever been tempted to write a review on a recruiter or search company. To this point, all have been fabulous and wonderful with great people and talented staffers. My experience with this firm, however, leaves much to be desired and merits negative stars (if such was possible on Unilocal,InterSource Search & Recruiting would be the first to merit such a low grade). I also urge companies to steer clear of using these cats.
Things started off pleasant with them, then came a late Monday evening request for a second interview. Which, for whatever reason (since they were the recruiting firm, not the actual employer) absolutely had to be on Skype. When one is busy and working with people already, you can imagine as a professional that this would be the single most difficult — if not most unprofessional — request a company can make given the «years of experience» they possess. I have people to please and things to do in the day for work. She then suggested «oh, just take a laptop to Starbucks or coffee ship and we can do it there.» Really? That sounds not only cagey, but weird and I would think it would be very odd indeed to express my work history by some hipster sipping a mocha latte.
Not only that — the woman would not budge — AT ALL — over her Skype obsession. Not only did I not have an account, I had to register, it was late, so not knowing what was needed, and too tired to read, I spent $ 22 on an account and phone number since I figured this was apparently a necessity. The $ 22 was not a lot, but what a pain in the literal area this was at night to get set up for a 7:30 a.m. Skype — especially after the recruiter states (and I am quoting directly here) «don’t worry, it’s not that I care how you look or appear, this is about content of conversation.» If that really was the case, why the Skype? Why not just do this on the phone? After all, this is about content of conversation, not appearances.
Morning of the Skype conversation everything was set and the opening question was (and, I kid you not folks): «Tell me everything that happened at Company X and then walk me through your entire career progression since college.» That sort of questions lends itself to a long answer — not bullets but «everything that happened» and «your entire career progression since college.» That’s well over a decade, folks.
After going through that, she had another question. Short. Then, another «tell me all about Company Y and what you did there» question — so again with the «all about» and «what I did» which was a TON of stuff. So, I went into detail because it was an «all about /​what I did» query. Not a bullet point question. At the conclusion of THIS she says «hey, you know, how is your audio?» to which I reply, «you are clear as a bell.» Then she says (get ready for this): «Oh, this whole time, you’ve been fading in and out and I have not been able to hear you most of the time.» Nice to know. We’re 70% of the way through and you did not hear a word I said. This whole Skype thing is just so awesome, I tell you.
Then comes a string of serious oddities. She asks about a job I had before college — I had been with a start-​up that sold (one of those young and naïve things that you think will work but it didn’t as much as you hoped, but you could now afford school) and asks me «So was this job before college?» Then, before I could answer she asks «Wait, these other two companies were before college?» And again before I could answer she then asked «Wait, when did you graduate?» At this point, the other Manolo Blahnik drops. Did you READ the resume? If so, any person who IS NOT a human resources professional would understand how to read a resume and see a graduation date, and so there are jobs before (or during college) and those after the grad date are AFTER college.
What comes next is the stuff of legend. She proceeds to give me «free advice» telling me that «hey, this is for your own good, take it or leave it, I know you didn’t ask… but you really need to give short bullet point answers.» I am sorry, but you did not ask a succinct question. Your question requested a narrative. Had the question been «give me your top accomplishments, set backs, and how you handled those from the last two jobs.» Boom, I got that. That’s not what was asked — it was a «write down your life story» question. Not only that, you asked the same questions from the initial phone interview last week and you DIDN’T read my resume.
So, in the end, avoid InterSource Search & Recruiting if what you seek is a competent screening process. There are plenty of great firms out there who know how to handle people, know how to screen, and know what to ask and how to ask it. Don’t waste your company’s time on them — InterSource Search & Recruiting is just one step above Craigslist, and that’s really insulting Craigslist more.
On the plus side, I have Skype: gilbertovelasquezjr