A recruiter reached out to me about a position. I asked if it matched my requirements – I had already sent him a clear list for another position before, and he knew my requirements. “Yes,” he said. We talked. Then, somewhere near the end of the conversation, he asked if 380€ per day was okay.
When I did the math from my mind, that daily rate became 47.50€ per hour. I expect and charge 80€ for that contract length and job description. I told him not to waste my time.
Here’s the thing – this isn’t really about recruiters. It’s about a habit that shows up everywhere in professional life: reaching out before doing the basic homework. Sending the message before reading the brief. Jumping on the call before checking the details. Speed feels productive, but skipping preparation just moves the wasted time from your calendar to someone else’s.
We all have limited hours in a day. When someone reaches out to you without doing the groundwork, they’re not just being careless with their own time – they’re being careless with yours. And that says something about how seriously they take the work itself. The best professionals I’ve worked with – in any role – always showed up prepared. Not perfect. Just prepared.
So here’s my question for you: when did you last slow down and actually prepare before reaching out to someone? Because the difference between a good professional and a great one often isn’t talent. It’s the respect you show for other people’s time.
