Why are technical recruiters so clueless? • Hacker News Board

Re: Why are technical recruiters so clueless?

#11

Post by jbarham » Tue, Oct 05, 2010, 3:45 PM UTC

The email that DHH got is essentially spam since he is obviously not looking for a job.

I've gotten my previous two jobs via "technical recruiters". If you expect them to hack on operating systems in their spare time you'll probably be disappointed, but IMO they are useful as market makers and are highly motivated to match you up w/ an employer that will be happy w/ you (since there is typically a 3-month probation before they're paid, and it can lead to repeat business). I wouldn't bash them for being technically ignorant since it's not as if internal HR recruiters are known for their technical proficiency either.

Re: Why are technical recruiters so clueless?

#12

Post by Tangurena » Tue, Oct 05, 2010, 3:46 PM UTC

"Technical" recruiters don't understand technology. The ones I've met are only capable of handling bingo sheets of buzzwords.

My take on the whole recruiter industry is that the parasitic field of recruiters exists because of 2 factors:

1. Mismanagers don't know how to hire people. Is someone skilled? They don't know. Will someone make a good fit? They don't know. It is like Supreme Court Justice Potter's remark "I'll know it when I see it."

2. Companies don't like how references have devolved to "X worked here from Y to Z and is/is not eligible for rehire." This makes paying the 20-40% of the first year's salary for a new hire a cheap way to evade lawyers, courts and previous employer's HR departments. In short, recruiters get hired by HR departments to get around other HR departments (perhaps one should consider getting rid of one's HR dept?).

Re: Why are technical recruiters so clueless?

#13

Post by tocomment » Tue, Oct 05, 2010, 3:47 PM UTC

leftnode wrote: post #6

tocomment wrote: post #2

I never understood why they stop communicating if an opportunity doesn't pan out? Why wouldn't they be interested in cultivating a long term relationship? That's what I think I would do if I were a recruiter. I'd keep in touch with say 200 people I know are really good and keep placing them as they switched jobs. I'm guessing at least 10 or 20 of those people would be switching jobs every year.

You'd have to do a lot to prove to me you're not just cold calling me and actually interested in my career and me as a developer. No recruiter has done that to date. Having a recruiter "keep in touch with me" now feels awfully a lot like they're cold calling/emailing me. I'll now go to great lengths to take a job not offered by a recruiter.

Yeah, I'd buy you drinks and stuff. You'd be one of my 200 top people that I cultivate.

I'd be an awesome recruiter :-) But I'm too introverted I think.

Re: Why are technical recruiters so clueless?

#14

Post by smiler » Tue, Oct 05, 2010, 3:49 PM UTC

I guess technical recruiters will never be any good until you find ex software developers to be technical recruiters - and I can't think you'd find many software developers willing to do that.

I am convinced there are still many ways for recruiting to be fixed by disruptive startups

Re: Why are technical recruiters so clueless?

#15

Post by gaius » Tue, Oct 05, 2010, 3:59 PM UTC

edw519 wrote: post #10

Why are technical recruiters so clueless? Because they are a little less clueless than most HR departments. Are there any recruiters working in technology who get it? Yes. The top 1 or 2%. The bell curve of competency for recruiters is a lot steeper at the high end, so finding one who "gets it" is difficult. So when you do, keep them. Whether you're hiring or looking, they can change your life. The problem with this…

That's exactly it. The recruiters who "get it" are doing quant/C++ recruitment for investment banks, RoR/Flash guys doing marketing websites will never see them.

Re: Why are technical recruiters so clueless?

#16

Post by KoZeN » Tue, Oct 05, 2010, 4:14 PM UTC

edw519 wrote: post #10

Why are technical recruiters so clueless? Because they are a little less clueless than most HR departments. Are there any recruiters working in technology who get it? Yes. The top 1 or 2%. The bell curve of competency for recruiters is a lot steeper at the high end, so finding one who "gets it" is difficult. So when you do, keep them. Whether you're hiring or looking, they can change your life. The problem with this…

I'm a technical recruiter and I agree with the majority of this post to be honest.

My background: 2.1 in Software Development from a leading Uni in Ireland. 2 years experience as a web developer for a medium sized Irish software firm and I've been in recruitment for just over 2 years now.

The amount of fellow recruiters I come across who believe java & javascript are one and the same for example is ridiculous.

The masses of mediocre ones give the whole profession a bad name

This is unequivocally my biggest hurdle, convincing candidates & clients alike that I know my Ruby from my Perl.

Good article, I approve! ;)

Re: Why are technical recruiters so clueless?

#17

Post by chow » Tue, Oct 05, 2010, 4:16 PM UTC

TL;DR: DHH is annoyed that there are people in the tech industry who have never heard of him.

Re: Why are technical recruiters so clueless?

#18

Post by swombat » Tue, Oct 05, 2010, 4:16 PM UTC

I'm not entirely sure why DHH assumes that this email was not, in fact, sent via "some shady Russians"...

Re: Why are technical recruiters so clueless?

#19

Post by KoZeN » Tue, Oct 05, 2010, 4:17 PM UTC

smiler wrote: post #14

I guess technical recruiters will never be any good until you find ex software developers to be technical recruiters - and I can't think you'd find many software developers willing to do that. I am convinced there are still many ways for recruiting to be fixed by disruptive startups

I am convinced there are still many ways for recruiting to be fixed by disruptive startups

I couldn't agree more. I've been actively trying to tackle this problem, so far without success, for a while now.

Re: Why are technical recruiters so clueless?

#20

Post by swombat » Tue, Oct 05, 2010, 4:17 PM UTC

KoZeN wrote: post #16

edw519 wrote: post #10

Why are technical recruiters so clueless? Because they are a little less clueless than most HR departments. Are there any recruiters working in technology who get it? Yes. The top 1 or 2%. The bell curve of competency for recruiters is a lot steeper at the high end, so finding one who "gets it" is difficult. So when you do, keep them. Whether you're hiring or looking, they can change your life. The problem with this…

I'm a technical recruiter and I agree with the majority of this post to be honest. My background: 2.1 in Software Development from a leading Uni in Ireland. 2 years experience as a web developer for a medium sized Irish software firm and I've been in recruitment for just over 2 years now. The amount of fellow recruiters I come across who believe java & javascript are one and the same for example is ridiculous. The ma…

How are you liking it? Don't you prefer to do development yourself? What's the hardest thing about the job? Would you recommend it to other developers?