Seven highly effective ways of f**king candidates over, by a recruitment consultant

HI, [INSERT NAME HERE], I came across your LinkedIn profile and thought you would be a great fit to make me look like I’ve got a wealth of candidates. Here’s how I’ll screw you over:

Arbitrary phone contact

Emails are for cowards. Without fail I’ll ring you at the weirdest times, several times a day. If you are unable to talk, because for example you are working in your current job, I will be disappointed in your lack of commitment. If we agree a time to call, I will be unavailable.

Judgemental Zoom calls

It’s crucial that I check you interview well, ie are sober at 4pm and have no facial tattoos. To this end we must Zoom for 20 minutes. I will recite from a script in a monotone while closely examining the room behind you to establish how desperate and therefore easily defrauded you are.

Switch to being chummy

Abruptly mate, we’ll be mates, right? My last training course recommended I ask about your kids so I have done so. These laughs are practiced and I have four; the one you’re hearing has the lowest value. You will now trust me, even though I am pronouncing your name incorrectly.

Withhold key information

Why would I inform you what the salary is? My God, is that all you’re interested in? No, I’ll keep that back and make you ask for it like the venal, money-grubbing peasant you are. Oh, and you’ll only find out it’s full-time in the Skegness office at the interview. I didn’t want to put you off.

Lying

Don’t worry, I will flat out lie. Like when I say I the job, which you weren’t really that fussed about anyway, was ‘yours barring some formalities’. Now you’re four different psychometric tests, two interviews and a meet-and-greet deep. And they’ve asked your current employer for a reference.

Ghosting

In the unfortunate event that things don’t work out, you will be told promptly and sensitively with constructive feedback. Joking. You’ll never hear from me again, though I will send an automated request for you to give me a five-star rating on Google.

Taking rejection badly

However, if you dare have the bad grace to tell me you don’t want the job? Making me look a fool in front of Linda from HR? You’ve ripped the commission from this precious little recruiter like bread from an orphan’s hands. And I only entered you to make up the f**king numbers.

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How to pick a restaurant nobody's happy with

CHOOSING the suitable venue for a meal with friends means carefully balancing location, menu and price until everyone is equally pissed off. Follow these tips: 

Roam far

Even the most central restaurant will see Tim from the suburbs complain about parking, so don’t bother. Go far-flung, blindly claiming the food is worth it. A country gastropub far from bus routes or an inner-city shithole on no tube lines should ensure taxis are both impossible to get and astronomically expensive.

Steer clear of recognisable cuisines

Sarah doesn’t like Thai, Colin’s vegan, Mexican sets off Gillian’s IBS. So go obscure. Everybody loves going in not knowing what they’re getting at a fusion place or, even better, a themed concept. It’s not like anyone just wants tasty food, right?

Allergies are their problem

Likewise with dietary restrictions. Make sure the establishment has an air of indifference, or ideally aggression, towards making any reasonable safety adjustments. It’ll taste shit regardless so this is really for flair.

Music makes it a party

Loud music is a must. The only thing better than a group meal where you’re yelling garlicky into the ear of the person next to you over a Dua Lipa remix is one where there’s a live band. Go for the latter, especially if it’s the owner’s son’s sludge metal combo.

Involve small plates

People love things that are complicated and fiddly, first to order and then to pay for. There should be an impenetrable description on the menu and a waiter offended you would waste his time asking him to explain it. Somehow there will be nothing but rice on the table and it will have cost you £35 each.

Cash only

And don’t tell them this in advance. It’s the perfect finishing touch.