Enlisted Recruiter making me wait to talk to Officer Recruiter

[haubby]

-The stigma that all recruiters are liars (although this one seems to be partially true)

I don't agree with this statement. I personally know quite a few people who are currently on recruiting duty and they are upstanding individuals who bend over backwards for the people they put in the service. People never talk about the positive experiences they have had with their recruiters because usually there is nothing to add to the conversation other than that FT1 Joe Navy put them in the Navy. You only hear about the people who have had bad experiences.

Being a recruiter is a stressful job with long hours and quota's to be met. While I don't agree with some of the practices some recruiters out there use, ultimately it's their job to put people in the Navy. In most cases the person who feels they were dicked over by their recruiter probably just dislikes their job they enlisted for. Its not the recruiters fault for that.

Now the person who goes to college, graduates, then enlists just because the recruiter told them so probably should have done a little more research on their own prior to signing the dotted line. Just my honest opinion.

 

[Cams1215]

you hit the nail on the head about the stigma recruiters face. When I was putting my application package together, many people i told about joining the military tried to tell me that everything the recruiter told me was a lie and that I needed to ask him all these questions about how bad everything really is. I replied to those people that not everything is going to be in my favor regardless if I join the military or not. I want to go into something with a purpose. Have to take the good and the bad in stride, and keep moving forward.

 

[Spekkio]

Haubby, the operational word in my statement was PARTIALLY. There are some recruiters who lie, there are some that don't. I think my recruiter did a great job of informing me what to expect and putting me in contact with other people who could answer any questions that he couldn't. This site has also been a great source of information for me for the application process and what to expect at OCS.

As far as recruiters having a tough job: doesn't everyone? I don't think that justifies outright lying to people like telling someone who is clearly interested in an officer program that they need to take the ASVAB.

 

[Flash]

There are so many reasons for a lack of recruits, though...

-Low pay compared to the civilian side with much less autonomy over your life

As someone who is now a civilian, I would disagree with that statement. Sure, there are plenty of jobs out there that pay more, but there are plenty that pay less. Take a look what is out there for a non-college grad in terms of pay, the military stacks up really well against most of them. Especially when you take into consideration the benefits.

 

[FMRAM]

As someone who is now a civilian, I would disagree with that statement. Sure, there are plenty of jobs out there that pay more, but there are plenty that pay less. Take a look what is out there for a non-college grad in terms of pay, the military stacks up really well against most of them. Especially when you take into consideration the benefits.

This man speaks the truth. Technically I'm not enlisted anymore, but I get paid as an E-6 > 6 on the payscale. I make over 40k a year and that isn't including any benefits like a free full-time day-program education at a private school. Not too shabby considering I only have an associates degree.

 

[Spekkio]

For non-college grads, you are correct. However, read what I said about a much higher percentage of people earning college degrees. There simply is very little incentive for someone with a college degree already to enlist unless they really, really want to be a trigger puller. Not that there's anything wrong with that, mind you, but just saying that the enlisted payscale and career track doesn't compete with what a college grad can get in the private sector.

And higher enlisted ranks pay pretty decently, I'll hand you that as well. But it takes what, 8-12 years to get there? E1-E4 is peanuts, mostly. Another thing is that around 50% of enlisted pay/benefits comes in the form of money that you can't spend yourself -- medical care, housing, etc. Sometimes people like to feel like they have more freedom with their money.

 

[BackOrdered]

you hit the nail on the head about the stigma recruiters face. When I was putting my application package together, many people i told about joining the military tried to tell me that everything the recruiter told me was a lie and that I needed to ask him all these questions about how bad everything really is. I replied to those people that not everything is going to be in my favor regardless if I join the military or not. I want to go into something with a purpose. Have to take the good and the bad in stride, and keep moving forward.

LOL, I remember trying to explain BDCP to some friends. They were just so wise and I so foolish. The moment I mentioned enlisting as E-3 their trite stereotypical view of recruiting alarm was running full swing. "I'm just trying to look out for you Tiz.", "I have a friend who wanted to be a this and got that.", "Dude don't sign it! It's a trick!" I still think that knee jerk reaction to the program is proof positive that the general public has an ill view of recruiting no matter how much it favors the recruited.

For non-college grads, you are correct. However, read what I said about a much higher percentage of people earning college degrees. There simply is very little incentive for someone with a college degree already to enlist unless they really, really want to be a trigger puller.

More college grads or not, that's always been a fact for the most part. College grads become officers or are pushed in that direction. But everybody doesn't want to go to college and not everyone wants to be a leader either. Many have enlisting in the cards the moment they start high school. And if you don't have the funds to pay your own way in college, enlisting and getting the GI Bill is a solid plan A. The niche for enlisting will always exist, it just needs to be exploited harder.

I think these cases of enlisted recruiters pulling the wool over college grads are isolated. What happens is college grads go to the NRD and step into the wrong door or call the wrong number. Why would an enlisted recruiter even target college grads unless the student accidentally approaching them isn't the case?

 

[Spekkio]

More college grads or not, that's always been a fact for the most part. College grads become officers or are pushed in that direction. But everybody doesn't want to go to college and not everyone wants to be a leader either. Many have enlisting in the cards the moment they start high school. And if you don't have the funds to pay your own way in college, enlisting and getting the GI Bill is a solid plan A. The niche for enlisting will always exist, it just needs to be exploited harder.

You're still misunderstanding me: I know that there are advantages to and reasons for enlisting. I also know that people still decide to take up these jobs. However, the fact is that enlistment is declining, and all I was addressing are some of the myriad of reasons why this is so.

I don't think "exploited" is the right term to use, though.

 

[BackOrdered]

You're still misunderstanding me: I know that there are advantages to and reasons for enlisting. I also know that people still decide to take up these jobs. However, the fact is that enlistment is declining, and all I was addressing are some of the myriad of reasons why this is so.

So I guess my question to those in recruiting is what can they do to increase enlisted recruitment without shady or dubious tactics that hasn't already been done?

Come to think of it, I had one negative experience with an enlisted recruiter. I was applying for the NROTC college program (got it sometime later and declined it for other reasons), was medically DQed for a condition and was having a fit trying to get it waived. I get a phone call from an enlisted recruiter (before I knew any better about recruiting) asking me about my commissioning program efforts and how enlisting would be a better option. My mistake was indulging him. First he told me I would probably get rejected anyway and I was wasting my time trying to be an Officer. Then when I defended myself from his attacks (remember he called me), I told him about how I just needed get my DQ waived and he told me I should give up. Basically, I'm damage goods and now wasting his time I suppose. I was irate and hung up on him. He calls my home, badgers my efforts, and then tells me I'm not fit for service anyhow. What a sales pitch.

 

[Flying Low]

While there are some shady recruiters out there, part of the blame needs to fall on the service member. When I enlisted in 92 I asked questions. I knew guys who didn't ask questions or do any research. Then later they felt like they got screwed. Almost no excuse these days with the amount of info on the internet.

 

[HeyJoe]

While there are some shady recruiters out there, part of the blame needs to fall on the service member. When I enlisted in 92 I asked questions. I knew guys who didn't ask questions or do any research. Then later they felt like they got screwed. Almost no excuse these days with the amount of info on the internet.

..or on AW

 

[Spekkio]

While there are some shady recruiters out there, part of the blame needs to fall on the service member. When I enlisted in 92 I asked questions. I knew guys who didn't ask questions or do any research. Then later they felt like they got screwed. Almost no excuse these days with the amount of info on the internet.

Perhaps not, but isn't there something wrong with expecting recruits to do supplemental internet research under the assumption that the recruiter WILL lie to him? Some guys go recruiters actually expecting to be told the truth.

 

[k_smittay]

Perhaps not, but isn't there something wrong with expecting recruits to do supplemental internet research under the assumption that the recruiter WILL lie to him? Some guys go recruiters actually expecting to be told the truth.

Recruiters = Sales people.

Never trust a salesman. Do your own research. It is a crappy truth, but it is truth none the less. It probably wouldnt be like that if there was a line at the recruiters office of people who wanted to join. That is not the case though. I know a guy who recruits. He works more hours on recruiting duty than I ever did on sea duty. It isn't an easy job.

 

[jt71582]

A guy I met at MEPS was convinced he was going to be a pilot. Apparently his recruiter told him how easy it was to get into the CWO aviation program, as soon as he got out of boot. He shipped out a few hours later.

 

[Spekkio]

Recruiters = Sales people.

Never trust a salesman.

Right, but this just feeds the stigma that recruiters are trying to trick applicants into signing up for the military, and ultimately hurts staffing.