1

I just got an email from someone at Oracle asking to connect and I’m trying to figure out what it could be about.

The email came to my work address. Apparently, she found me on LinkedIn and sent a blind email (this email isn’t linked to LinkedIn, and we use Oracle here so it wouldn’t be hard for her to figure out what address format my email would have). She’s talking about “brief introductory phone call” which could be anything, and “how my team can best support yours” which would mean actual business connection but then she says “I would love to learn a little about your role and any initiatives you may have” which sounds very recruiter-like to me.

I’m intrigued that she went through all that trouble to contact me. What could this be about?

If I answer, will it turn into:

  1. A sales pitch - I don’t want anything to do with it. Keep them away with a blow torch.

  2. Job opportunity with Oracle - I’d like to start this conversation.

  3. A real business connection - having to do with the actual business done here? I don’t work with Oracle directly here so it wouldn’t be a very valuable resource to have. At least not at this time, and I’m not planning to stay here for very long, so probably, I’d never need this resource.

  4. Something else?

I’ll probably answer her anyway because I’m curious but I wonder what you guys think.

More background as a result of LinkedIn snooping: she doesn’t work as a recruiter but she does work with Oracle’s HR software - maybe selling it? Again, I’m intrigued. We use Oracle here for database only (I think) so that’s even more of a stretch that it would be an actual business contact. This makes option 1 or 2 more likely. 1 probably more than 2…

Too much wishful thinking…

Sales Pitch, Vendor or Recruiter?
  • Sales pitch
  • Job Opportunity
  • Business connection
  • Social Engineering
0 voters
4 Spice ups
2

What email is it from, you can’t google the company name?

To me sales pitch and vendor is the same lol

From the little you posted sounds like pitch to me ¯_(ツ)_/¯

3

Na, that’s a sales pitch. She wants to sell something but wants to be sure she is talking to a person authorized to buy what she’s selling which is why she wants to know about you and your role. Same again with the team support nonsense…best way for her team to support yours is to sell you her product. And a warranty. And an extended service contract.

2 Spice ups
4

This is why we have LinkedIn, right?

I tend to be very blunt: ‘Hi, I’m not interested in sharing details of our company product usage or plans. If there is some other reason for the shout out please elaborate in detail why you’re contacting me. Thanks!’

5

It’s absolutely a sales pitch. Don’t get caught up in your fantasy of it being a job offer. I know you’ve been unhappy with your employment, so it’s easy to get caught up in the what-ifs, especially if it begins to sound like an escape for you.

Don’t fall into that mental trap! You’ll crash and be disappointed.

Since they’re selling services, it’s much more smooth to come across in that “what can we do to help you?” instead of “here’s a box of gadgets that you should buy, Buy, BUY!!!” But it’s all still the same thing: a sales pitch. Just more exploratory and designed to be disarming in the service-as-a-service model :wink:

Everyone loves to use the word “partner” in this arena than “customer.”

2 Spice ups
6

It’s Oracle. She wants to Audit you and bankrupt your company.

1 Spice up
7

Did you apply for a job or send out resume ? If not, then the chances of a job offer is slim to none.

Are you in the sales line or the CEO of your company such that Oracle may want to purchase something or even talk about taking over your company ?

Else 99.95% its a sales pitch…

…

Sometimes I wish someone from the lottery office will come knocking on my door to ask if I wanted to buy last week’s lottery winning ticket.

1 Spice up
8

Thanks for responses. If she just left this at one email, it’s already quite sales-like, but now, she sent me yet another message on LinkedIn. I think this type of persistence screams SALES SALES SALES. She’s also left a clue this time specifically mentioning HRIS.

I used something similar to what you wrote to respond to her. We’ll see what comes out of it :slight_smile:

UPDATE: She replied. Surprise surprise:

Sorry to bother you- Would you please point me in the direction of the person it would be best to reach out to in regards to HR needs. Thanks again!