Ask HN: How do you get hired while avoiding recruiters?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7105412

by lastofus • 13 years ago

4 4 13 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

I've been looking around for software developer jobs and it seems like 75%+ or the job listings on all the job sites are posted by recruiters.

My experience has been that working with recruiters is more often than not a waste of time. Even worse is just having your resume shoved into some automated DB from which you will forever be spammed into oblivion with worthless job opportunities sent to you based off of resume keywords.

Apart from one's social network, and HN's job listings, how does one go about finding companies that are hiring directly?

JSeymourATL• 13 years ago

Simply put on your Sales/Biz Dev Hat starting looking for specific individual targets-- Senior Executives or Senior Managers that you know how to help. Reach out, make a friend, engage them in a live conversation.

penguinlinux• 13 years ago

Lots of tech companies have a careers section. Make a list of companies you want to work for and got to their careers URL. You can probably apply right from there

canterburry• 13 years ago

I have made a great living through recruiters. But, it did take me a while to figure out which are worthwhile and who are not. Yes, you'll get spammed and you will never get off those spam lists but none the less, it has all worked out for me.

Some things from my experiences:

1. 99% won't read your resume and just auto mail you anything that matches a keyword in your resume. Just auto delete or block those companies

2. Only talk to recruiters who actually call you. They tend to actually have more valuable jobs. But there will be lots of spam here too

3. Recruiters will bring you jobs which you can't get on your own. They have priority access and many positions fill before they ever hit the boards. If you are just applying by yourself, you won't see 50% of what's actually out there

4. You can bargain with recruiters. If you are hourly and you stand your ground, you can often push the rate higher. A recruiter will rather fill a position through his company than make a few extra dollars. Filling positions gives them return business, that pays loads in the long term for them so they are motivated to negotiate

5. They are often aware of positions other than what you are interviewing for. If you are interested in a different role within the same company, they can talk directly to the hiring manager about a role which is in the works

6. Beware the hierarchy of recruitment companies. You always want to be talking to the primary org, not a subcontractor to the primary..or worse. Rates get worse the further you get from the primary recruitment company which actually holds the contract with the client

cdmckay• 13 years ago

The easiest way is to network, and connect with people through your current network.

That being said, I used to be a recruiter before I ventured into the startup world. There is no reason to not use a recruiter, sure, many of them may call you, email you, "spam" you and not produce any results for you.

But who cares, you are looking for a job, this is your career, your life, and your job plays a big part in that.

What is the big loss? You have to speak to 49 recruiters (a big exaggeration) before finding the one who finds you your dream job?

Oh no... you had to answer a phone and speak for a while.

Who gives a crap.

If you really want to manage them, get a cheap pre-paid phone and a throw away email address.

There is a real bad reputation out there for recruiters, and the truth is some of it is well deserved, as they are generally hungry sales people.

But that doesn't take away from the fact that they spend their entire work week every week, working with companies who could have the potential to give you your dream job.

Also, it snot about the individual recruiter. Recruiters have access to resources from their ENTIRE COMPANY. This could potentially be hundreds of reps. Its an army of people with incentive to find you a job that you like, and it doesn't cost you anything.

Ask HN: How do you get hired while avoiding recruiters?

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