Developer Turned Recruiter Airs Our Dirty Laundry
Tags: webdev, job, hiring
Published: 2023-02-08 17:36:40

I started a new endeavor called Recruiters Anonymous. This is kind of an ‘off shoot’ of Guidance Counselor 2.0 that is specifically focused around the recruiting industry. I interview recruiters to help YOU the job seeker/hiring manager understand us better. 

But for real, what better way to kick off Recruiters Anonymous than to talk with someone who has seen all sides of the story— developer turned internal recruiter turned agency recruiter David Roberts. If you haven’t heard about Recruiters Anonymous, 1) welcome. and 2) we’re here to give back to the recruiting community and job seekers interested in the recruiting community. No shame in the recruiting game… or whatever the kids are saying these days. 

I had the pleasure of catching up with David about some of our recruiting woes and foes. If you’re an audio/visual person, here’s a link to the episode: 
[Recruiters Anonymous + Developer Turned Recruiter and Why We Get a Bad Reputation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MTyIWQ0P0U)

If you have 5 seconds: 
Nothing’s real when it comes to job postings; a recruiter is your coach with all the inside intel.

If you have two minutes— we’re going with a little love theme today on why you shouldn’t stay away– but in like a healthy relationship kinda way:

**It’s not me, it’s you.**  
If you’re not feeling the love for recruiters, you’re probably not taking advantage of what we have to offer. 

**So you think we’re lazy.** Recruiters are functioning with such a high volume of open jobs and job seekers that we don’t have time to sit down and dig through every resume. We’re not lazy, we just don’t have time to do your job. Plain and simple. If you want results using a recruiter, make it easy for us to make a connection with you. Your confidence can sell pretty much anything. Send me a quick, no-frills cover letter that communicates: 
- what you’re great at
- what you’re good at
- what you want out of a job
- your ideal salary range

David mentioned that, “the best developers rarely get the job.” Truth. Recruiters won’t devote their time to someone who doesn’t look like they’re going to be the right pick. It’s your job to work with us to make sure that you stand out. 

**It just doesn’t feel real.** Sometimes “the job” doesn’t exist. It’s counterintuitive, right? Putting yourself out there for something that isn’t ‘real’. But that’s exactly the point of working with a recruiter. They’re doing the legwork— talking to hiring managers, trying to decode and translate open job listings… all for your benefit. Think everyone's dream job is just a straight up copy of a job description? Doubt it. A recruiter helps find and tailor a job that's a perfect fit for you. 

**We never talk anymore.** Why use a recruiter when you can speak directly to a hiring manager? Recruiters are puttin’ in the work to present you with a beautifully re-packaged job opportunity. When I’m connecting you with jobs, I’m sending the notes directly from my call with the hiring manager— not a copy and pasted listing. It’s a mess out here y’all, there’s a reason recruiters exist. Recruiters have inside info on hiring flexibilities, the actual skills needed for the job and why other applicants aren’t making the cut. Not to mention they’re actively getting feedback from the hiring manager. Why not use that to your advantage?

**You’re just not that into me.** David put it best when he said most companies just want a decent human being and a passionate, proactive developer. Seems simple enough, but recruiters can help you market yourself as that. His favorite way to start an interview? A question. 

“Why is this job open?”
- David & Successful Interviewees 

Sometimes you have to highlight your skills to fit the job. What they're asking for on paper and the reality of their needs can be quite different. Take their answer to this question and use it to skew your answers and responses.  Boom, done, easy.