As a seasoned full stack software engineer living in Silicon Valley, I get multiple emails each day from agency recruiters looking to place individuals with my skill set. It’s exciting to see there’s so much opportunity for web engineers, but it seems the recruiting process hasn’t changed in a decade!
I’m not a cocky engineer, but do value my time and prefer to work with individuals who value and optimize their time. I like to think a recruiter’s relationship with a job seeker should resemble Rod and Jerry’s relationship in Jerry Maguire. You know that 90’s flick where Rod Tidwell just wanted the human touch from Jerry, his sports agent? If agency recruiters stand to make top dollar placing a candidate, shouldn’t they establish a relationship and also save their clients time and frustration? So what’s wrong with the current process? Here are a few things I have noticed…
The Email Template:
As an engineer, we see beyond the presentation layer. We like to write code that improves a user’s experience by reducing inefficiencies and automating arduous tasks. At first glance, email templates look sincere and personal. However, I see placeholder code, with my name normalized and inserted into the body of an email. My name in ALL CAPS? It’s clear these are not personalized messages.
Resume Buzzword Bingo:
Engineers wear many hats. However it is literally impossible to wear them all especially in today’s ever-evolving tech landscape. Don’t get me wrong, I’m constantly learning new tools and languages to keep my skills sharp, but I will never know everything. Why do the job descriptions you present list every language and development framework to date? I get it, it’s easy to cast a wide net, but in doing so you may scare off, confuse or frustrate potential candidates. Just cross-check my experience with the requirements of your req and let me know why you think I’m a fit.
The Candidate Phone Screen:
So here’s the dilemma. Let’s say a candidate is interested in the opportunity you share.. what happens next?
- Candidate: “Sure, let’s talk 🙂 “
- Recruiter: “Can you send me your resume?”
- Candidates: “Sure here is my resume.”
- Recruiter: “Thanks! Can you send me your availability?”
- Candidate: “Here are a couple of times that work”
- Recruiter: “Darn, I’m booked, how about next week?”
There goes a week! This is all too common, there’s too much back and forth. Candidates want an efficient way to connect and to also know that our conversation with the recruiter is going to count.
Ok, Now what?
- I talk on the phone to you for 30 minutes.
- I talk on the phone to your Account Manager for 30 minutes.
- I talk on the phone to the Internal Recruiter for 30 minutes.
- I talk on the phone with the Hiring Manager for 30 minutes.
- I visit the office, spend 4 hours meeting the team and discussing my experience. (BTW Awesome!)
- I talk on the phone to you for another 30 minutes.
- I talk on the phone with the VP or Department Head for 30 minutes.
If we spend 30 minutes on the phone, why do we need to repeat the same conversation with your Account Manager, the Internal Recruiter and the Hiring Manager, etc? Each of these conversations take place in a vacuum and are full of repetition. The problem today is two-fold. First, roles are becoming increasingly specialized and difficult for a recruiter to assess. Second, everyone cares about ‘culture fit’ and you only know it when you hear it.
The above scenario is what prompted us to build Honeit – an easy solution for recruiters to efficiently and effectively schedule, screen and submit candidates to Hiring Teams. If candidates are interested in your offering, let them schedule a phone call. If the conversation goes well, share audio excerpts from the conversation with your “Account Manager”, the “Internal Recruiter” and even the “Hiring Manager” and let them quickly hear what you heard to accelerate the candidate’s interview experience.
James
Co-Founder & CTO
