Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Don’t Feed the Beast – The Great Tech Recruiter Infestation

mocko.org.uk

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

71–80 of 335 posts

Re: Don’t Feed the Beast – The Great Tech Recruiter Infestation

#71

Post by aerovistae »

Alright, here's another of my tech recruiter exchanges. This one got him to stop responding immediately.

-------------

Hello,

My name is Seth and I am a recruiter here at [redacted]. I came across your profile in our database and wanted to touch base. Are you still in the market for potential opportunities? If so, I would enjoy speaking with you soon.

Please let me know if you or anyone else you know is interested.

Thanks, Seth

--------------

Hi Seth. I am definitely available for "potential opportunities" to "touch base" with discreet clients. I am very interested. Please give me more information about these "opportunities."

Re: Don’t Feed the Beast – The Great Tech Recruiter Infestation

#73

Post by kchoudhu »

adrianb wrote: post #51
raverbashing wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just left my old number (that I don't use anymore) in linkedin

That's still not good enough. I've had recruiters look at who my current employer is then call the public phone number of the company (the reception) and ask for my name. I'm not joking. Happened more than once.

Recruiters would call the office switchboard and ask to be transferred to my extension while I sat on a trading desk next to a managing director (read: dude who brings in major $$$ for the firm).

Seriously awkward conversations afterwards.

Re: Don’t Feed the Beast – The Great Tech Recruiter Infestation

#74

Post by smcl »

ryguytilidie wrote: post #70
mbroshi wrote: post #34

I will admit I did not make it through this entire article, but it really did not ring true to me at all--just sounded like an unsupported, hostile, angry rant. >> “Fucked if we care” think the recruiters, “now grovel and be exploited”. ... >> You’re meat to them, a resource to be packaged and sold and exploited. Who's being exploited here? I think he's implying the programmers, but as someone who left academia for i…

Honestly it seems like the author has some serious problems. I know hundreds of recruiters having been at Google and Facebook and not a single one of them thinks like this at all. To say "now grovel and be exploited" about a process where the person will almost certainly end up with a fantastic offer for an engineering job in a comfortable office with great pay and great working conditions may actually be the least s…

I think the author being deliberately hyperbolic for humour's sake, playing up lots of British stereotypes etc for laughs or a bit of catharsis. It's a Friday afternoon "I've had a shit week" blog post and it wasn't to my tastes, but I wouldn't necessarily assume the author has some problems.

Re: Don’t Feed the Beast – The Great Tech Recruiter Infestation

#75

Post by Paul_S »

pc86 wrote: post #50
Paul_S wrote: post #3

I'm looking for work right now (need an embedded engineer in the UK?) and some job boards have a tickbox "[]agency" or "[]direct employer" and most of the direct employer ones are also recruiters. That is a small thing but it's pure evil. And the sad thing is I'm sure that if I asked a recruiter "how can you sleep at night doing this" he'd just shrug and laugh because to him it's normal.

A recruitment agency that's hired on contract, or an internal recruiter at the company hiring?

No. Anyway, if that was the case why would they hide the name of the company?

Re: Don’t Feed the Beast – The Great Tech Recruiter Infestation

#76

Post by SandB0x »

euphemize wrote: post #8

At the end: To employers – ask your staff to help find new hires. Offer a bounty – enough to get their attention, say a fortnight’s salary. It’s a lot less than Shithead would cost. And their incentives are all positive: no-one will hire an idiot if they have to work alongside them and new staff with social ties to your team are far more likely to stay. You’ll be amazed how effective this can be. There are limits to…

On top of this, make the work environment nice enough that your staff will recommend you.

My current job was very strongly recommended to me by a friend and former colleague (who also got a small referral bonus when I was hired), and I'm pleased to say he was not exaggerating.

I've been honest with friends about about the pros and cons of my workplaces. The cons have normally seemed quite easy to fix, but nobody responsible cared to fix it (unfortunately, this part is not easy to fix).

Re: Don’t Feed the Beast – The Great Tech Recruiter Infestation

#77

Post by ryandrake »

I don't get all the annoyance at recruiters. I don't mind recruiters reaching out to me at all. If you don't want their help, ignore their E-mails. If the opportunity looks interesting you reply, if not, don't. Here's an entire profession that exists to help get you a job (and to help employers find talent). Like every profession in the world, there are going to be a few jerks--just ignore them.

When times are good and everyone has their dream job, we all seem so annoyed with recruiters. When times are not so good, and you're 2 months away from being broke, they are a potential lifeline.

Re: Don’t Feed the Beast – The Great Tech Recruiter Infestation

#79

Post by [deleted] »

smcl wrote: post #74
ryguytilidie wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Honestly it seems like the author has some serious problems. I know hundreds of recruiters having been at Google and Facebook and not a single one of them thinks like this at all. To say "now grovel and be exploited" about a process where the person will almost certainly end up with a fantastic offer for an engineering job in a comfortable office with great pay and great working conditions may actually be the least s…

I think the author being deliberately hyperbolic for humour's sake, playing up lots of British stereotypes etc for laughs or a bit of catharsis. It's a Friday afternoon "I've had a shit week" blog post and it wasn't to my tastes, but I wouldn't necessarily assume the author has some problems.

[deleted]

Re: Don’t Feed the Beast – The Great Tech Recruiter Infestation

#80

Post by paulojreis »

IT people talking about being exploited, particularly by unskilled laborers, well... I understand how "boring" it might be to be harassed in this way, just as telemarketing is, but - come on - a little perspective, please. Surely you'll understand that your boring doesn't trump someone's need to make money.

P.S. The author talks about "us social inepts in tech". I hope he understands his article is a great banner to said ineptness.

Post reply on HN