How Not To Ask For Help

I got a communication from an acquaintance.

This person had promised to do volunteer work at an event I ran, however they decided during the event to drop off so they could get event attendance.

Sometime later they contacted me with the following.

(Wording summarized so not to identify the person.)

Them: What do you do?

Me: I do many things. Here is my LinkedIn profile: LINK. What would you like to know more about?

Basically, I don’t want to pitch you on something that’s not relevant to you.

Them: XYZ. Can you tell me for free how do to do XYZ step-by-step?

Me: Here is a link to 100,000 words I have written on the subject: LINK.

Them: Thanks, I also work in XYZ. What should I charge people?

(And they also claim to manage $1,000,000+ of advertising on their LinkedIn profile.)

Me: That’s commercial in confidence.

Them: Because you’re not answering my question, you sound like you have no experience and have no idea what you are talking about. You’re an Arsehole.

Me: You have to be joking, right?

Them: I’d never work with you in the future.

Me: …

The TL:DR version:

  1. They are competing with me but didn’t want to reveal that initially.
  2. They wanted free advice on how to do the same job I do.
  3. Then when I wouldn’t give it to them, they scold me.

Another contact of mine contacted me without prompt from me asking my experience with this person.

This other contact sent me a screenshot of the conversation with the person in question:

And I quote:

“Do you want a job or not stop wasting time.”

“We have high-level projects underway.”

“Look, dude stop fucking around – do you want a high paying job.”

The person in question has no idea how to sell people on joining his company (thus no idea how to sell), yet claims to be a sales company with $1,000,0000+ of advertising under management.

Someone is lying.

And it’s not me or my other contact.