I am a long-experienced software engineer (computer programmer) with over 20 years experience in a variety of businesses.
I was contacted by an office of a recruiting company that I believe is nationwide, in reference to a resume I posted on the web. Despite not having listed Michigan as a place I'd relocate to, the recruiter more or less begged me to listen because the job was so consistent with my experience & a particular interest I have in one of the physical sciences, which is unusual for programmers. I declined due to location. The client company never knew about me.
Some months later, after saying I would reconsider the move, I was approached about a new position. I was forwarded a 10- or 12-item questionnaire from the client co. That I was to fill out about my experience, interests, references, relocation needs, etc. I was to be verbose so I could provide as many reasons for them to hire me as possible. It took several days to complete but I finally finished and returned it. If I remember right, the document was at least 6 pages. I was reluctant to write so much because I know from sales courses that ads with too much info give readers more reasons to discount you than contact you, but I had little choice. After all that, when they saw my salary history, they said the co. Would never pay that and would I adjust it? (never mind that it reflects I was well paid because I do superior work) Of course I would (... NOT!), the point is to get the interview, not the job.
After it was forwarded to the company, the response was that they were sorry but my college GPA (1977) was too low for them (by maybe 0.1) and end of story. The recruiter was annoyed.
Why didn't the recruiter know the GPA was so important, or the company ask it up front if it was that important? Or was the co. Just looking for an excuse? As Judge Judy always says, if it doesn't make sense, it isn't true.
Anon
Nowhere
U.S.A.
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