Wanted: Software Engineers. Reward: $12,000

http://www.seomoz.org/blog/wanted-software-engineers-reward-12000

by InfinityX0 • 15 years ago

101 26 15 years ago

webwright2• 15 years ago

This is a smart idea. A lot of the best startups are using recruiters (who can get $30k or more per hire). The noise level will be a LOT higher than a recruiter, but it might be worth it. Hopefully Rand will write a post-mortem on this.

randfish2• 15 years ago

I can definitely do that. As of 2 hours after the post, we've had a good number of referrals and 3 applicants. Jobvite's system does a good job of storing lots of interesting data, so hopefully I can share metrics in a follow-up.

That might go on our dev blog (rather than the main blog) - http://devblog.seomoz.org/

qeorge• 15 years ago

Wow, didn't know you guys had a dev blog. Awesome!

boctor2• 15 years ago

Generates buzz for your startup, costs less and doesn't involve recruiters. Sounds like a lot of positive. I'd also like to hear about SEOmoz's experience after they fill the positions.

I don't claim to fully understand the challenges of a startup hiring the right folks, but recruiters just leave a bad taste in my mouth. Often they use questionable tactics and you know they are costing the startup a lot of money.

In a vacum ignorant of the realities of the real world, I wish there was a way to rate engineers and startups on all the key factors. For a startup: compensation, prestige, work environment, meeting/working with great people and for engineers: quality of work, ability to get things done, working well with others, etc. The problem of course is that getting a truthful and accurate value for each these factors is almost impossible.

boctor2• 15 years ago

In related news, checkout Hackruiter (YC S10): http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2248362

spydez• 15 years ago

Recruiters raise signal to noise ratio? All I ever hear is how they horribly fudge resumes and job posts in order to make applicant and company interested in each other and get their fee.

shor• 15 years ago

At Fairfax Digital we frequently use bounties for positions like search marketers, UX people or mobile app devs. $5K + an iPad works really well. We've had tremendous success from internal referrals via this method. It makes most sense when hiring in industries with a low average tenure but trying to fill more esoteric roles.

InfinityX0• 15 years ago

Dear Rand, if you get a software engineer from this submission, I expect a check for $12k at my doorstep. Your friend, Ross.

Seriously, though, good luck. The SEO (and hopefully Hacker News) community wishes you success in this recruitment.

randfish2• 15 years ago

If you made the link from the http://www.seomoz.org/refer-an-engineer page using your email address, we actually would track it back to you (cool feature of Jobvite - you can set it up to tweet/FB share/email links w/ your tracking code).

But, of course, much appreciated. :-)

netmau5• 15 years ago

Pretty tempting offer even for the happily employed. Can I refer myself to the job and get both sides?

ig1• 15 years ago

That would create a disincentive for people to correctly report referrers.

pedrokost• 15 years ago

Ask a close friend to do it and get both 12k minus a bonus for your friend.

webwright2• 15 years ago

Part of the post-mortem that I'd love to read about this is whether ANYONE comes in without a referral. It's kinda dishonest for someone to "invent" a referral when the person didn't actually refer them, but $12k is a big incentive.

danshapiro• 15 years ago

From the post, it looks like the candidate gets $12k too.

ojbyrne2• 15 years ago

I think they're talking about ways to get both $12k amounts (for the referral and the candidate).

krakensden• 15 years ago

Here's a link to the actual posting: http://hire.jobvite.com/CompanyJobs/Careers.aspx?c=qw49Vfwo&...

And on a related note, their job requirements are refreshing. They tell you what they're using, and that they want some related experience, but don't make a huge deal of 'AT LEAST 5 years in our language and framework combination'.

mhartl• 15 years ago

I love that they list participation in 4chan as a plus, under "participation in the social web" (http://hire.jobvite.com/CompanyJobs/Careers.aspx?c=qw49Vfwo&...).

baltcode2• 15 years ago

No H1-Bs?

potatolicious• 15 years ago

No TNs?

ojbyrne2• 15 years ago

They do say "One more note: Candidates must be eligible to work in the US (citizenship, green card, visa, etc)"

"visa" does seem to suggest some possibility.

baltcode2• 15 years ago

I don't know if that means they are open to H1B sponsorship or they mean you somehow already have a visa that makes you eligible to work without them sponsoring it. (I don't what that could be). That's why I asked, may be they would like to respond.

allwein• 15 years ago

I think I'm going to fund my next startup on seomoz referrals!

dark_c• 15 years ago

Good luck with this. I am especially interested in the noise ratio. Reminds me of a great "about hiring" article from Joel Spolsky: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/FindingGreatDeveloper...

absconditus• 15 years ago

I will never refer a friend to an SEO company. Not even for $12,000.

pufuwozu• 15 years ago

Here at Atlassian, we have a refer-a-mate scheme. If you refer someone, you get a free flight to Sydney, Amsterdam or San Fransisco (or $2000):

http://www.atlassian.com/about/careers/refer-a-mate.jsp

You can also refer someone for a graduate position for $750:

http://www.atlassian.com/about/careers/refer-a-grad.jsp

Wanted: Software Engineers. Reward: $12,000

Related Stories