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Date: Fri, 04 Apr 1997 16:02:44 -0800
From: Bill Felton <bfelton@pop1.ibm.net>
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Organization: Gryfon Technologies
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Subject: Re: Warning about recruiters!
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JDenmark wrote:
> 
> Bill Fenton,

Tsk.  Can't even get the name right.
 
> Your rudeness, ridicule and use of stereotypes, says little of your
> professionalism.

I repeat -- it is impossilbe to be rude to you and your ilk.
Were my services of need to one of you clients, you would
hire me.

> I doubt that using an example of being VP of Educational
> Services at KSC is at all relevant in this thread...

It was strictly and entirely relevent to the question raised
by the individual to whom I made the remark.

> The fact is, I believe that KSC regularly uses agencies...I am certain
> however that AMS (who owns a piece of KSC)  does use agencies

Indeed.  My departure from KSC preceeded that particular situation.
AMS became interested in KSC in part due to education; I taught
some of the first AMS folks to encounter KSC.
The only relevence of this is as evidence that I *have* been
around.  I *do* know whereof I speak.

>....I have
> made many OO placements at AMS, am considered a valued vendor and even
> placed several of their most Senior OO Directors. I am sure that both the
> client and candidates believe that an agencies 'value added' is to fill
> openings quickly and with the best pre-screened candidates available so
> they can get thier projects rolling.

And where that to typically or universally be the case, that
you and your ilk did in fact facilitate the daunting task of
finding qualified candidates, there would be far less complaint
raised by me.  As I said, I have suffered as both consumer
and as product, and I find that the gains and benefits of agencies
such as yours are by and large illusory.

[snip]
> 
> I would hope as an industry educator, you refrain from providing your
> 'students' with any advice outside of pure technical issues, 

Indeed you would, and do.  Disagreements over the value of
firms such as yours does seem to be in the category of
"seven dirty secrets we won't talk about".
I do not ask that others necessarily agree with me; I do ask that my
years of experience not be discarded casually simply because it
flies in the face of either convential wisdom or comforting illusion.

>for I believe
> with an attitude like yours, they will not get along well in today's
> business world

How nice for you.
I manage just fine, or better, and prefer to deal with others of
my ilk, rather than others of yours.
My advice to others is, of course, intended to encourage the production
of others of my ilk, and, insofar as possible, a reduction in the
production of yours.

There are ethical principles which assert that one ought always to
treat others as ends in themselves, rather than as means to an end.
I believe this to be possilbe in a contractual employment
arrangement between principals.  I believe that recruiting/head hunting/
"technical outsourcing" firms are driven, by the inexorable pressure
of the business they are in, to disregard that precept.
I find that unacceptable.

Bill F.
