Having previously run a recruitment business, I must mitigate a little by defending some recruiters: unless you’ve done the job yourself you wouldn’t appreciate how hard it can be. Many had rock star lifestyles in those long years of excess, without necessarily having much to commend them. Now, there are many people unemployed from the industry, many more on high perecentages of commission and in almost daily threat of losing their job. Recruiters will often work long hours under great stress.

I wouldn’t suggest a sympathetic approach – after all these motivational forces mean many are thinking extremely short-term in their business dealings with you as a customer; however before you slam the phone down with venom, spare a thought for these shallow but suffering creatures.