Hints for the email-impaired

I identified a copy of your resume this afternoon in our database and I am interested in speaking with you regarding several UNIX Admin Positions (4) I have available in the Reston/Herndon area. All of these positions are permanent full time opportunities and they are available immediately. Both my client’s are looking for people with at least 5 years of solid UNIX Admin experience. Also knowledge of Oracle and/or SQL (SQL Queries) is required for two of them. I can pay very competitively for these positions and my client’s are moving very fast on these opportunities.

First, it's "clients." I'm a snot about that, even though I'm not perfect in what I write. I do try to make sure emails I send to employers (or employees) are close to perfect if I'm asking for something.

Second, it's unlikely that you're able to "pay very competitively" if you can't immediately quantify that (or at least qualify it, like "pay very competitively for government positions in Reston/Herndon"). Sort of like the adage, "if you have to ask, you can't afford it." So, say eighty-five dollars an hour if you can pay it. If you just say "competitively," the people that might take $85/hr won't know it's that high, and the people that won't take $85/hr won't believe you.

What's the worst that can happen? Somebody actually gets paid what you budgeted for them? I mean, really, recruiters. It's not like you weren't going to ask for 1.75x whatever you pay me anyways. Why not just tell me, and try to hook me with a number instead of an empty promise?

Syndicated 2007-09-20 19:36:00 (Updated 2007-09-20 19:40:52) from Alex J. Avriette