Not even a hint that they may be interested in the needs of the people they're looking to hire.
Why do so many technical recruiters suck?
41–50 of 59 posts
Re: Why do so many technical recruiters suck?
#42For the same reason most (if not all) real estate agents are worthless. There's no barrier to entry and there's the allure of easy money. Until the profits collapse the market will be inundated with wannabes.
Re: Why do so many technical recruiters suck?
#43The problem with recruiters is that they're the only (potential) vendor/service provider to your business that doesn't actually understand the product they are delivering to you. * My hosting partner knows how operate servers and datacenters * My employee payroll + benefits partner knows employee laws. * My lawyer knows corporate law * My CPA knows accountancy and tax rules. * My recruiter is unlikely to understand v…
A recruiter who's very good with technology and who can program is better off being a developer financially.
A recruiter who's very good with people and navigating the intricacies of a project is better off financially being an internal HR manager or project manager.
Re: Why do so many technical recruiters suck?
#44I said right away that the only way this would work would be based on a success fee, and they accepted that. Also, I demanded that they send me a sample of anonymized CVs before we signed anything. So a couple of hours later they send me these three CVs, and when I looked at them, I immediately recognized the candidates (it's a small world, isn't it?).
The next step was to call the candidates and ask them if they're were really looking for a job. Turns out not one knew anything about the company in question and none of them were interested in switching jobs.
Re: Why do so many technical recruiters suck?
#45Earlier quoted context omitted.
A classic bad sales technique. I'll put up with a lot of things, and under some circumstances I'll accept someone acknowledging what I've said and saying they can't provide that, but if you give me the impression that you just plain don't listen at all, you've just ended the conversation, permanently.
Think it through. It's a good sales technique. There are broadly speaking two kinds of sales. There is the kind of sales that takes months -- eg flogging SAP to a sap -- and there are the kinds that take minutes. Recruiting falls into the second category, along with second-hand cars, door to door encyclopaedias, life insurance and so on. In the short-sale field, when is the salesman ever going to see you again? If he…
As a Tech Recruiter I completely disagree. Granted a significant proportion of the recruiter community tend to favour the short term gain but ultimately the only way to succeed in the industry is to cultivate long term relationships and generate repeat business.
Re: Why do so many technical recruiters suck?
#46Someone in the comments below mentioned how they don't feel that the recruitment industry can be disrupted whereas I completely disagree. The industry is already suffering and multiple different factors are playing a part. As PG mentioned in a recent comment on a similar post, more and more companies are investing in building internal recruitment teams.
For the record, I agree that most tech recruiters suck. Even if you find a decent one, chances are they work for an organisation that imparts a vast amount of KPI's and compliance issues that generally restrict their capabilities and creativity.
Re: Why do so many technical recruiters suck?
#47Anybody have experience with Hackruiter or TopProspect as alternatives?
Never heard of them, actually. But the recruiter space doesn't seem to need disruption, since it fundamentally only makes sense in a pre internet age. Today candidates can find any company they like online and apply right then and there. The same goes for any company which can contact a candidate directly (either through a his/her blog if the prospect has one or through any of a number of aggregator services). Today…
Re: Why do so many technical recruiters suck?
#48As a Tech Recruiter and former Developer I've been first-hand witness to the incredible hypocrisy and mind-boggling anti-logic perpetrated by the recruitment industry and I've attempted to answer your question at length in my blog post 'All that's wrong with the recruitment industry' http://voltsteve.blogspot.com/2011/07/all-that-is-wrong-with... Someone in the comments below mentioned how they don't feel that the re…
It feels like the recruitment industry in general is very cut throat and has high turnover.
And in an industry that has a shortage of skilled people to begin with, that's probably not a good thing.
Re: Why do so many technical recruiters suck?
#49Earlier quoted context omitted.
Believe it or not a recruiter can do a very good job filling technical positions without a strong understanding of the technology. All you need to know to get started is how to spot a qualified person, and the hiring manager can help with that.
I'll go with "not" when it comes to the recruiters in the Chicago area. I regularly get contacted for roles I have no measurable experience in, such as Django jobs, or really anything web related. While I have extensive Python knowledge, I haven't touched Django outside of a tutorial or two on a rainy day. They seem to want to extrapolate Python expertise to cover everything that uses Python, but it doesn't work like…
"Why do you need REALLY need a Python developer? Is it because you have problems that a great software engineer without Python knowledge can't solve? If so, give me a couple examples of things you need that only a Python whiz could do, and I will make sure applicants can do that. If we can't attract the right applicants, I will ask you will need to dedicate more time to recruiting or refine your expectations."
I may come to you with a Django job, but I will be prepared to tell you why the hiring manager doesn't need Django experience at all.
Re: Why do so many technical recruiters suck?
#50Earlier quoted context omitted.
Think it through. It's a good sales technique. There are broadly speaking two kinds of sales. There is the kind of sales that takes months -- eg flogging SAP to a sap -- and there are the kinds that take minutes. Recruiting falls into the second category, along with second-hand cars, door to door encyclopaedias, life insurance and so on. In the short-sale field, when is the salesman ever going to see you again? If he…
> There is no incentive to favour the long term. The sale is made now or not at all. As a Tech Recruiter I completely disagree. Granted a significant proportion of the recruiter community tend to favour the short term gain but ultimately the only way to succeed in the industry is to cultivate long term relationships and generate repeat business.