How to turn down recruiters with FIRE in sight?

[Gerbil Wheel]

I should reach FI in about 20 months, barring a market meltdown. I want to hunker down in my current job for the sprint to the finish.

Recruiters continue to contact me with job opportunities, mostly via email through Linkedin. As a hedge to single employer risk, I'd like to keep my FIRE plans quiet and "pretend" that I still desire a progressive career track. I'm struggling to find the right words for a response. I'm technically underemployed and these opportunities are for higher level positions.

Any suggestions?

 

[travelover]

...... I'm struggling to find the right words for a response. ..........Any suggestions?

How about "No, thanks"?

 

[REWahoo]

.

 

[photoguy]

I don't have any remorse blowing off recruiters.

Unless its someone I know personally or they've gone through a lot of effort (obviously made careful consideration) I just ignore them. Otherwise you can always say not looking to move right now, but I will let you know if my plans change.

 

[Cooked]

Why not just be honest?

I am working on an interesting project right now and I want to complete it before I move on. The project will wrap up in 18-20 months.

 

[Gerbil Wheel]

But what if I get laid off unexpectedly and then want to pursue these other opportunities? What can I say now that would position me most favorably in that event?

 

[sailor]

I tell recruiters that at this point of my career and life I'm not interested in job change, but I'll let them know if my circumstances change.

 

[GrayHare]

"You'd have to pay me too much to do that job."

 

[Midpack]

Like others have said, just say "no thanks," you don't have to divulge your plans. It's easy to find lots of "legitimate reasons" you aren't interested - salary/benefits, relocation/commute, advancement potential, job specifics, happy where you are (whether true or not), etc.

 

[Bestwifeever]

But what if I get laid off unexpectedly and then want to pursue these other opportunities? What can I say now that would position me most favorably in that event?

You don't want them to bug you if you don't need them but you want them there for you if you do. I don't think you can have it both ways?

 

[photoguy]

But what if I get laid off unexpectedly and then want to pursue these other opportunities?

If you are in a profession where you get recruiters chasing you, I imagine that you would get decent sevrance + unemployment insurance. Would this not be enough to carry you the rest of the way to FIRE?

 

[Gerbil Wheel]

If you are in a profession where you get recruiters chasing you, I imagine that you would get decent sevrance + unemployment insurance. Would this not be enough to carry you the rest of the way to FIRE?

Perhaps, if it occurred at the right time. In fact I may try to "engineer my layoff" a la Financial Samurai near the end of the 20 months.

 

[ERhoosier]

But what if I get laid off unexpectedly and then want to pursue these other opportunities? What can I say now that would position me most favorably in that event?

You could tell the recruiters you are currently in a stable position but may be open to the "right opportunity" depending upon the circumstances. In the circumstance of an unexpected layoff the "right opportunity" could be as simple as another comparably-paid j#b for the next 20mo or so.
And it's possible you might change your mind about RE over the next couple years.

BTW- Depending on your present employer, profession, & state of residence, severance or unemployment may be iffy propositions.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

If you get laid off, you will become a pariah. No one will talk to you, no one will return your e-mails or phone calls. LinkedIn will be of no help to you. I am not trying to be cruel here, but why did you join in the first place? Just tell them you are not looking right now, thanks anyway.

I quit LinkedIn a couple of years ago because of unwanted contacts by agencies (among other things). (Nuts to them. I find my own jobs anyway. I can get a job when nobody else can. I do not want a higher level job anyway.) I ignored them and pulled the plug (which is hard to do; just try to find how to on their web site).

By the way, with luck, I am the same distance from the finish line.

 

[Midpack]

You could tell the recruiters you are currently in a stable position but may be open to the "right opportunity" depending upon the circumstances. In the circumstance of an unexpected layoff the "right opportunity" could be as simple as another comparably-paid j#b for the next 20mo or so.
And it's possible you might change your mind about RE over the next couple years.

Unless your credentials are unique/scarce/high demand, I suspect most recruiters know when they're being strung along, and move on quickly. But it might work, no harm in trying...

 

[brewer12345]

Recruiters are whores, at best. Any time I have been stupid or desperate to deal with one of them, I have regretted it. Tell them you are not interested and move on with life. If you need to get another job, you will get it (not the recruiter)

 

[Rothman]

Some recruiters are ok, many are not. But they are making a living by placing people, in my experience you are best to say no thanks and not give reasons, because they will try to solve any hurdle you suggest. You are just better off to keep it short and avoid any reasons for follow-up.

 

[Shanky]

The good thing about recruiters, is they do slow down once you are done working. They prefer folks with jobs.

 

[2B]

Recruiters are whores, at best. Any time I have been stupid or desperate to deal with one of them, I have regretted it. Tell them you are not interested and move on with life. If you need to get another job, you will get it (not the recruiter)

I can't believe you are insulting whores like that. Where are the moderators when we need them?

As for the OP, you say you are "underemployed." That tells me that you are also "underpaid." I don't see anything wrong with taking a different position that you intend to leave in 20 months unless there is a cost in moving, etc making a move not cost effective. You may get there sooner with more money.

Unless you know its a viable policy, I wouldn't put too much hope in being able to engineer a severance package with unemployment. The companies I've been with have been pretty stingy with those unless there was a real need to reduce staffing. Agitators get asked to move on before being "moved on" by the company.

 

[photoguy]

In fact I may try to "engineer my layoff" a la Financial Samurai near the end of the 20 months.

How does that work in a nutshell? I've skimmed that site before but it don't remember it revealing anything about how to laid off (seem more like an infomercial pushing an "investing secret").

 

[GalaxyBoy]

If you are in a profession where you get recruiters chasing you, I imagine that you would get decent sevrance + unemployment insurance. Would this not be enough to carry you the rest of the way to FIRE?

I'm in a profession that's in demand and I get the occasional call from recruiters. But that doesn't mean that when MegaCorp lays off people around here they get anything more than two weeks' pay and COBRA. They only get the two weeks' pay if they sign a non-compete agreement.

But as to the OP, I feel the same way and I usually explain that I have roots here and I'm involved in a very interesting/challenging project and I wouldn't feel right leaving my employer in the lurch (which makes me a bigger liar than the recruiters ). I figure that makes me look like a loyal employee who likes his work, and if I ever do decide to leave here for anything other than FIRE it leaves the door open.

 

[txtig]

Like others posting here, I've got a profile on LinkedIn. I started it about 3 years ago, and about a year and a half ago I started getting inquiries from recruiters who use LinkedIn to find their candidates. Then, about nine months ago, the number of queries and "connection" requests from recruiters really ramped up and I now typically get several each week. For the most part, I simply ignore them and don't respond. But, occasionally I'll get one that is really intriguing and will at least trade a few emails to learn more about the position and use the info to gauge the competitiveness of my current compensation package as compared to the new opportunity. But, I really doubt that I would take a new job now. My plans are to FIRE in about 3-1/2 years, and forfeiting the accumulated deferred compensation (golden handcuffs) would be tough at this point without much time to recoup. But, I still don't mind receiving the queries because you never know -- someone just might make me an offer I can't refuse. By the way, I would disagree with those who characterize the recruiters as whores. I think they're just doing their job like everyone else trying to make a living.

 

[brewer12345]

I think they're just doing their job like everyone else trying to make a living.

That is exactly what the whores say.

 

[txtig]

Touché.

 

[steelyman]

That is exactly what the whores say.

That reminded me of a line by John Huston in the movie "Chinatown":

"Politicians, ugly buildings, and whores all get respectable if they last long enough".