I'm taking one of the recruiters for a Super-Major oil company to lunch this month downtown and I decided that McCormick and Schmicks is probably my best bet to be casual yet professional (thoughts?). I'm doing this in order to ask her advice on how to strengthen myself to be a candidate for her company in the fall for full-time recruiting and for networking so she can actually put a face to my resume. Should I meet her at the restaurant or am I supposed to go pick her up from her address? Her office is about 7 blocks from the restaurant. I don't know if she would walk or drive from there. I was going to bring my resume and ask her what parts I can improve on. Any other things I need to cover before this lunch?
Conflict of interest. Are you sure it's only a "professional" lunch? Are you the one paying everything? Seems a bit shady to do this, since it could make or break your hiring. I wouldn't do this, but since you've already made the appointment and she said yes, you two obviously don't think it's wrong. Too late? Maybe. If it's not all that professional, she will tell you what "parts" might need improvement.
haha in all honesty..meet here there, dont pick her up...keep it casual. talk about your resume i'd say..at the end. do some nice small talk in the beginning and then during the meal ask her questions about the company and let her do the talking. if you want her to like you..just let her do alllll the talking. ask her questions about how she likes the company maybe etc.
Does she know she's meeting you for lunch for this purpose? As for picking her up, just make the offer and let her decide.
Yeah I said it would be on my behalf so I am paying for everything. But that's how all business lunches generally work I think, one party pays the whole tab, especially if I requested it. And considering recruiting doesn't start until September it won't really affect my hiring. I'm just using this so that I can hopefully get an interview in the fall and impress some senior analysts to get the one of many jobs they offer since they're so large. The way I know her is my mom sold her a home and she mentioned that she worked for so and so company so my mom told me to contact her to get advice.
Yes. Here's a bit from the email I sent: "I was wondering if you had time next week to perhaps grab some lunch on my behalf and chat. I would really appreciate your advice on how I can strengthen my candidate profile."
always mix business pleasure, ie. make sure in advance the proposed 'business lunch' date won't schedule conflict with her period
Run your leg up her leg under the table. It could work out really well for you... Probably shouldn't have mentioned it was a female. lol
Shouldn't a recruiter be buying YOU lunch? I have never heard of a prospective hire buying a recruiter lunch. Seems inappropriate.
This-she will pay if y'all do go. If she is your recruiter and say you were buying certain perks for yourself. Def conflict of interest. I believe talking is great. M&S is classy bus. Professional place though. Think of it as if an agent was taking perks from a ball player in high school so this "agent" "could give him advice"
Sounds like he's using an 'in' provided by his mom's realtestate business as a chance to put his resume and face in front of hers. Can't hate, good move if you ask me, any little edge is good in the business world. Sometimes who you know is just as if not more important than what you know, and this young man is just taking an oppurtunity to make it known to someone who can help that he is interested in working at her company. That said, see if she'll let you hit it.
This is some weird ****.. Recruiter should want you to work for them and they are the ones usually paying for lunch or taking whomever out. If you are taking her to lunch to bribe her, it is illegal. You better cancel this lunch or I will report the both of you and make sure you never see the light of day again you SOB.
Reason I offered to pay is because recruitment is not until September/October and I just wanted to get her to recognize me. This is not a recruiting event, this is just me quizzing her about how to make my resume stronger thus why I am compensating her with lunch for her taking time out of her day to meet someone she has never met. As far as bribes go... A gift under 50 bucks is perfectly legal and looking at their lunch menu our tab will most certainly fall under that, even though this is not a bribe. Again this doesn't even guarantee me an interview in the Fall, let alone a job because of how standardized college recruiting is for these super large companies... It's just boosting my chances.
she get's paid if she hires/places you so assuming you are a good candidate she should offer FREE advice on how to strengthen your profile. bottom line is a stronger candidate makes her money. i myself wouldn't hire or recommend you after you pulled this stunt. i would be wondering what else your're capable of including if you are trustworthy.
Don't let the other posters scare you. You aren't doing anything illegal. Either they don't understand who you are meeting with or haven't gone through on-campus recruiting. My first summer, I got a highly competitive internship at a Fortune 400 company and I got the opportunity to meet several recruiters and partners at large law firms. At one of the events, I asked the partner and recruiter of a firm I was very interested in to have lunch and discuss their firm, the practices, what they look for summer associates, etc. The partner was actually impressed that I had taken advantage of that opportunity rather than accuse me of doing something unethical or illegal and they went to lunch with me. To the other posters, if the recruiter is in-house they usually don't get paid for finding people since that is their job. You guys are thinking of recruiters at search firms that get paid by the firm for finding a candidate. And lunch with those recruiters isn't illegal or unethical because their job is to get to know you and market you to employers.
If you offer to pick her up, do you have a place to park at the eatery? You might get embarrassed driving around looking for a parking spot, so ponder that. They probably have valet parking, but check. As for paying, you've already offered to take her to lunch so you can pick her brains, right? So try to pay after you finish eating, but if she insists on picking up the tab, give her a gracious "thank you," and let her do it. All bases covered. And you are going to wear a suit, right? In Austin, it probably wouldn't matter ("Casual Friday" being pretty much every day of the week), but this sounds like the time for a suit. Good luck! I think it's a smart move. -
