beard story

victory against spam!

When you work in the IT field, you tend to get an f= fair amount of IT job spam.  When you've ever once lived in London, you get f! (factorial) IT job spam because the London headhunting world lives and breaths on casting a wide net early and often.  Technology has only accelerated this trend, and some headhunters are little more than spammers.

For a while now, I've been getting emails from Jonathan.  At one point some of these were promising sounding technology leadership roles, and I even wrote him back a few times.  At some point early this year, the jobs he was emailing about started getting less relevant to me... located in remote corners of the UK (yuck), salaries 1/2 to 1/3 my current salary (do I look that desperate on paper?), and roles that I really wasn't qualified for (senior C# developer???).  At another point this year, I MOVED TO THE USA to do a 1 year Master's degree, which really made these jobs less relevant me.

Mail #1 - January

Dear Ean,

Happy new Year!

We are a specialist Software Engineering recruitment company covering job opportunities across the UK.

As our .net specialist I want to get in touch to understand whether you are interested in job opportunities currently?  If you are looking or interested in hearing about potential local jobs to yourself, then please let me know your current situation?

Furthermore, if you have an updated CV, please send this to me for consideration against current positions and to update your profile with us.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards,

Jonathan

My reply to Mail #1...

Hi Jonathan,

I'm always interested in hearing about good opportunities.  My CV is
here: http://cv.eanh.net

Let me know if you'd like to speak further.

Ean

...note that he didn't call me back.

Mail # 2 - January

Dear Ean,

I have a senior opportunity available that I would like to make you aware of. If you are interested in this position and would like to find out more about this opportunity then please let me know?

Location: Windsor, Berkshire

Salary: dependent on experience £££ flexible £££

Technical Director, Digital Agency, Berkshire

This is an opening for a fast growing, leading, digital company who boast excellent blue-chip clients!

This position has come about as part of their growth strategy... (bla bla bla etc)...If you are interested in this position then please let me know?I look forward to speaking to you soon.

Kind regards,
Jonathan

My reply to Mail # 2...

 Sounds interesting!  Let's talk soon.

My cv is here: http://cv.eanh.net/  and there is a link to pdf and doc
versions at the bottom of the page.

thanks

Ean

...note that he didn't call me back this time either.

Mail # 3 - February

Dear Ean,
  I have a contract opportunity that I would like to make you aware of. If you are interested in this position and would like to apply then please let me know?
  Location: Surrey
  Type: Contract

This is an excellent opportunity for a recognised software solutions company... (bla bla bla etc)

If you are interested in finding out more about this position then please let me know?

  Speak to you soon.
  Kind Regards,

  Jonathan

My reply to Mail #3...

Jonathan,

Please remove me from your list.

Thank you,

Ean

Mail # 8ish - July

(I deleted a bunch between 4 and 8)

Dear Ean,
I would like to make you aware of an exciting job opportunity that I have available. If you are interested in this position then please apply for immediate consideration:

Location: Guildford, Surrey.

Mid-Level experienced Developer - ASP.net (2.0/3.5), C#, Web Application developer, AJAX, MVC, Guildford.  An opportunity for a Technology consultancy and Solutions company... (bla bla bla etc) If you are interested in this opening then please let me know?

Kind Regards,

Jonathan

My Reply to Mail #8...

can you please remove me from this list?

my salary range is 3 times this and I don't even live in the UK anymore.

e

Mail #9 - July

Dear Ean,

I have a position to make you aware of that I feel you may be interested in. If you feel this opening is of interest then please let me know for immediate consideration?

Location: Basingstoke, Hants

C#, ASP.net Developer/Web application developer, Basingstoke

This is an opportunity for a large company and household name based in the Thames Valley and M3 corridor... (bla bla bla etc)If you are interested in this position then please let me know? I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Kind Regards,
Jonathan


My Reply to Mail #9...

I just ignored this one.

Mail #10 - July

Dear Ean,

I would like to make you aware of a job opportunity I currently have available that I would like to make you aware of. The position details are below, if you are interested in this job opening then please let me know?

Location: London, Camden

Application Development Manager/Technical Project Manager ASP.net 3.5 C#

This is an opening for an award winning organisation looking to expand their technical services team by bringing on an Application Development Manager/Technical PM to help with the ongoing growth of the comanies services. ...(blabla bla etc) 

If you are interested in this position then please let me know?

I look forward to speaking to you soon.

Kind Regards,

Jonathan

My reply to Mail #10...

Jonathan,

This is the third time I've written you requesting removal from your list.

* I no longer live in the UK

* I am not interested in any job less than (what I make now)

* I am full time studying a degree this year

PLEASE will you remove me?

Ean 


Mail #11 - same day as Mail #10!

Dear Ean,

I would like to make you aware of a job opportunity I currently have available that I would like to make you aware of. The position details are below, if you are interested in this job opening then please let me know?

Location: London, Camden

Senior C# ASP.Net (3.5) Developer, OOP, agile Digital solutions, London
This is an opportunity for a digital solutions company based in london and looking to (bla bla bla etc)  If you are interested in this position then please let me know?

Kind regards,
Jonathan

 
My reply to Mail #11...


(ccing Jonathan's boss who I found on Linkedin)

Hi Jonathan,

Since you not only continue to send me unsolicited email, but actually sent me another yesterday one just after I asked you to stop for the THIRD time, I can only conclude that you are either (a) not a real person, but just a robot spam program, or (b) persisting in this just to annoy me.

Therefore, I have reported you to the following:

* spamcop
* google spam
* the UK Information Commisioner's Office

Apparently you are liable to (a) a 5k GBP fine and (b) have your ISP
shut off your email access.

Have a great day!

Ean

Jonathan's reply to my reply to mail #11 - phone call 5 minutes later

Apologies were made, claims were made of already sent mails to the effect that I was now off the list, etc.

Vindication!