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Comment by BigBlueSaw | Hacker News Reader

Politely inform them that you're not looking right now. Ask them to e-mail you a job description so that if you happen across anyone who meets the requirements, you can put them in touch.

There's no need to go nuclear on them. After all, they might be able to do you a favor one day.

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I disagree. I get 4 phone calls a day from recruiters trying to sell me "talent" for my startup. They refuse to get off the phone when I politely tell them we have a policy of not using recruiters, follow up by email, and then of course they call again next month. My phone going off causes a distraction, causing me to fall out of the zone and waste a few minutes as I try to figure out why they're calling and try to politely get them off the phone.

Really, they are absolute fuckers with no consideration for anyone but themselves, and going nuclear is long past due.

This is exactly my experience as a hiring manager with cold-call recruiters too.

How about not answering the phone unless you recognize the number?

Unfortunately, that's completely incompatible with being the CEO of a growing company that prides itself on support and puts its (that is, my) phone number on the website.

Also, this is a bit blaming the victim. My phone is for productive conversations I want to have, not a direct line into my soul for parasites.

wow, i thought my experience is bad as a developer… man you guys on the other side got it way worse!

Oh, it gets worse still, because I get calls from both sides! Want to work at Apple? LinkedIn? A funded SV startup (I already do, thank you)?

I don't understand why you would ever refer someone to a job through a cold-calling recruiter. If you know someone good who's looking for a job, just help them find a job directly.

I haven't. It's a polite brush-off.

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