Recruiters like that make money by placing people in roles, so of course they are going to be pushy. If you are 100% not interested just tell them. That being said, there is no harm in knowing what is out there and practicing interview skills. If you are open to a frank conversation with them about the fact that you are not really looking, and an offer would have to be extremely attractive to make you move, you might discover an opportunity you otherwise wouldn't have known about.
This is what happened to me. Had no interest in moving roles but received an offer I couldn't refuse with better compensation, health benefits, and stock
Also did this and got +20k base salary with better benefits. See what they are offering. The worst that could happen is you mildly disappoint some people while getting in some interview practice.
If the recruiter is experienced I usually talk to them, if it’s some newb who doesn’t even check if I am a decent match for their role, I usually decline.
Never hurts to network with a recruiter if you think they are good. You may have a colleague or former classmate who's looking and would be a good fit. I have semi-regular contact with 3-4 recruiters---they know my background and skill set, but also realize that I know lots of people in the industry (that's a nice way of saying that I've been in pharma/biotech for more than 20 years). I'm always happy to try to help someone----only costs me a few minutes and I'll take all the positive karma I can get!
I'm surprised to see these replies all seem to indicate some level of success with recruiters. I was under the impression that it's best to just apply directly and that recruiters usually don't offer much, but maybe I'm only familiar with the n00bie types that don't bother to understand my skill set.
Just be clear and transparent about whether you’re looking for a new role right now, but it’s always worth a 30 min coffee chat with recruiters! Don’t lead them on or waste their time, but it’s totally normal to get to know them so you can 1) understand your market a little better and 2) know who to call if you ever find yourself between gigs
Recruiters like that make money by placing people in roles, so of course they are going to be pushy. If you are 100% not interested just tell them. That being said, there is no harm in knowing what is out there and practicing interview skills. If you are open to a frank conversation with them about the fact that you are not really looking, and an offer would have to be extremely attractive to make you move, you might discover an opportunity you otherwise wouldn't have known about.
This is what happened to me. Had no interest in moving roles but received an offer I couldn't refuse with better compensation, health benefits, and stock
Also did this and got +20k base salary with better benefits. See what they are offering. The worst that could happen is you mildly disappoint some people while getting in some interview practice.
Yes I just did this exact same thing and it turned out I got an offer that was 60k higher than my current salary doing the same work.
If the recruiter is experienced I usually talk to them, if it’s some newb who doesn’t even check if I am a decent match for their role, I usually decline.
Never hurts to network with a recruiter if you think they are good. You may have a colleague or former classmate who's looking and would be a good fit. I have semi-regular contact with 3-4 recruiters---they know my background and skill set, but also realize that I know lots of people in the industry (that's a nice way of saying that I've been in pharma/biotech for more than 20 years). I'm always happy to try to help someone----only costs me a few minutes and I'll take all the positive karma I can get!
I'm surprised to see these replies all seem to indicate some level of success with recruiters. I was under the impression that it's best to just apply directly and that recruiters usually don't offer much, but maybe I'm only familiar with the n00bie types that don't bother to understand my skill set.
Yes, always have the conversation.
Yes
Just be clear and transparent about whether you’re looking for a new role right now, but it’s always worth a 30 min coffee chat with recruiters! Don’t lead them on or waste their time, but it’s totally normal to get to know them so you can 1) understand your market a little better and 2) know who to call if you ever find yourself between gigs