Working with developers is my life, whether it's meeting new ones or helping the ones I already know. It's all I've ever done and something that I'm very passionate about. I believe that when you're approaching developers you don't know, (whether its via email, social networks, phone, or in person) there are things you need to understand, things you need to do and most importantly things you should NEVER do in order to be effective and maintain a good reputation.
Understand:
-You need them not vice versa.
-They could easily find a job on their own.
-They're smarter than you.
-Everyone needs developers.
-They get contacted by recruiters on a daily basis.
-They get contacted by recruiters with bad jobs on a daily basis.
-The majority of developers have had at least one bad experience with a recruiter.
What to do:
-Be honest, respectful and to the point.
-Do your research and demonstrate that your message is not spam.
-Understand the technologies that you’re recruiting for.
What not to do:
-Call people at work.
-Send canned messages.
-Pitch a job the first time you contact someone.
-Contact someone based on buzzwords.
-Contact someone before you've researched their background, blog, twitter, github, etc.
-Try and be slick.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Why are tech recruiters so clueless?
This is my response to David Heinemeier Hansson’s blog post “Why are tech recruiters so clueless?”
I’m not writing this to bash anyone, or because I’m some expert with the answer to what’s wrong with tech recruiting. I’m writing this because I’m passionate about what I do, and I figured putting my thoughts on paper in hopes of receiving feedback from people who have experienced the “cluelessness” would only make me better.
There's business in moving around mediocre talent. It's what most recruiters do. Why? Because a majority of recruiters are employed by recruiting firms and a majority of recruiting firms are about maximizing profits and not being truly good at what they do, or even understanding the industry they work in. If you’re trying to make money in staffing why would you avoid 80% of the workforce and only work with the top 20%? You wouldn't. Therefore these firms and agency methods become skewed because its no longer about finding and working with the best (candidates or companies), it's about maximizing, movement, lots of calls, lots of send-outs. Well if your presenting the top 15 or 20 percent of a certain vertical's talent then lots of movement is unrealistic. There isn’t a pool of brilliant programmers looking to jump ship. I’m not saying there aren't qualified candidates out there because there's plenty. It just takes a very detailed job description, communication with the CTO, lots of research, and a great company to attract them. It’s a matter of being a master at what you do vs. making the most money in your industry.
So why are tech recruiters so clueless? Lack of passion, lack of participation, and job boards.
Passion
Being passionate about tech recruiting means really enjoying and wanting to be the best at it. Being hungry to learn about new technologies, new companies, and most importantly building relationships. I think a majority of tech recruiters aren't hungry to do anything besides get their next commission. To provide any value recruiting in tech you must educate yourself. Not how to actually write code but at least learn what technologies go together, what a technology stack is, backend vs. front end, things like that. From there you can begin to understand what factors go into being a great developer. How does a recruiter get this education? By dropping their ego and asking lots of questions.
Instead of educating themselves many tech recruiters instead use this mindless, 4 step approach:
1. Get the job order.
2. Search for buzzwords in database and on Linkedin.
3. Spam everyone with the right buzzwords.
4. Present everyone who responds to client.
Just because someone has the same buzzwords on their resume as you do on your job spec doesn't mean they're good. For some reason tech recruiters forget developers are even people, they treat them like robots and if they have the right buzzwords they must be a fit. Well you idiot, think like a human, talk to them. Questions are key, especially if you lack the technical knowledge.
-What kind of applications are you working on or building with XXX?
-Are you on a team? If so how big?
-What is your role on that team?
-Do you attend any local user groups or tech conferences? either on your own or through work?
-How did you start programming?
-Do you have any side projects? If so tell me about them?
-Are there any technologies or languages that you want to work with but just haven't had enough time yet?
-Are they part of an internal tech department, a consultancy, or an actual tech company where they’re building a product/service on site?
These questions can reveal a lot about what kind of programmer someone is.
Participation
Tech recruiters spend most, if not all their time in the office, not in the community. You can’t recruit for a niche if you don’t participate in that niche’s community, especially in tech. Recruiters should be at more meet-ups, user groups, and conferences than the techies themselves. They should invest time and money attending as many industry gatherings as humanly possible- that’s how you build a network, not by spamming via email and Linkedin. Recruiting is about constantly networking in attempt to know EVERYONE in your niche. Building real relationships.
Job Boards
The great talent doesn’t need to post their resume anywhere in order to find a new job. Using Careerbuilder and Monster is a waste of everyone's time.
I’m not writing this to bash anyone, or because I’m some expert with the answer to what’s wrong with tech recruiting. I’m writing this because I’m passionate about what I do, and I figured putting my thoughts on paper in hopes of receiving feedback from people who have experienced the “cluelessness” would only make me better.
There's business in moving around mediocre talent. It's what most recruiters do. Why? Because a majority of recruiters are employed by recruiting firms and a majority of recruiting firms are about maximizing profits and not being truly good at what they do, or even understanding the industry they work in. If you’re trying to make money in staffing why would you avoid 80% of the workforce and only work with the top 20%? You wouldn't. Therefore these firms and agency methods become skewed because its no longer about finding and working with the best (candidates or companies), it's about maximizing, movement, lots of calls, lots of send-outs. Well if your presenting the top 15 or 20 percent of a certain vertical's talent then lots of movement is unrealistic. There isn’t a pool of brilliant programmers looking to jump ship. I’m not saying there aren't qualified candidates out there because there's plenty. It just takes a very detailed job description, communication with the CTO, lots of research, and a great company to attract them. It’s a matter of being a master at what you do vs. making the most money in your industry.
So why are tech recruiters so clueless? Lack of passion, lack of participation, and job boards.
Passion
Being passionate about tech recruiting means really enjoying and wanting to be the best at it. Being hungry to learn about new technologies, new companies, and most importantly building relationships. I think a majority of tech recruiters aren't hungry to do anything besides get their next commission. To provide any value recruiting in tech you must educate yourself. Not how to actually write code but at least learn what technologies go together, what a technology stack is, backend vs. front end, things like that. From there you can begin to understand what factors go into being a great developer. How does a recruiter get this education? By dropping their ego and asking lots of questions.
Instead of educating themselves many tech recruiters instead use this mindless, 4 step approach:
1. Get the job order.
2. Search for buzzwords in database and on Linkedin.
3. Spam everyone with the right buzzwords.
4. Present everyone who responds to client.
Just because someone has the same buzzwords on their resume as you do on your job spec doesn't mean they're good. For some reason tech recruiters forget developers are even people, they treat them like robots and if they have the right buzzwords they must be a fit. Well you idiot, think like a human, talk to them. Questions are key, especially if you lack the technical knowledge.
-What kind of applications are you working on or building with XXX?
-Are you on a team? If so how big?
-What is your role on that team?
-Do you attend any local user groups or tech conferences? either on your own or through work?
-How did you start programming?
-Do you have any side projects? If so tell me about them?
-Are there any technologies or languages that you want to work with but just haven't had enough time yet?
-Are they part of an internal tech department, a consultancy, or an actual tech company where they’re building a product/service on site?
These questions can reveal a lot about what kind of programmer someone is.
Participation
Tech recruiters spend most, if not all their time in the office, not in the community. You can’t recruit for a niche if you don’t participate in that niche’s community, especially in tech. Recruiters should be at more meet-ups, user groups, and conferences than the techies themselves. They should invest time and money attending as many industry gatherings as humanly possible- that’s how you build a network, not by spamming via email and Linkedin. Recruiting is about constantly networking in attempt to know EVERYONE in your niche. Building real relationships.
Job Boards
The great talent doesn’t need to post their resume anywhere in order to find a new job. Using Careerbuilder and Monster is a waste of everyone's time.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Great Quotes
"Be the change that you want to see in the world." - Gandhi
"I want to put a dent in the universe." - Steve Jobs
"Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements."
- Napoleon Hill
"Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything."
- Napoleon Hill
"Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do."
- Steve Jobs
"Man, alone, has the power to transform his thoughts into physical reality; man, alone, can dream and make his dreams come true."
- Napoleon Hill
"Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations." - Steve Jobs
"Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness." - Napoleon Hill
"Why join the navy if you can be a pirate?" - Steve Jobs
"You have to just be really into what you're doing and what you're saying. You have to live it and if you live it and you mean what you say it comes natural actually. You don't try to be different because when you try to be different you end up being the same, because everyone's trying to be different. You know what you do, You be You, and if that doesn't work then this isn't what you should be doing. I don't stop. They ask me why do you work so hard? I ask them WHY NOT? I'm 24 years old, sleep for what.?"
- Dwane Michael Carter
"The man who does more than he is paid for will soon be paid for more than he does." - Napoleon Hill
"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." - Gandhi
"Success in its highest and noblest form calls for peace of mind and enjoyment and happiness which come only to the man who has found the work that he likes best." - Napoleon Hill
"I want to put a dent in the universe." - Steve Jobs
"Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements."
- Napoleon Hill
"Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything."
- Napoleon Hill
"Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do."
- Steve Jobs
"Man, alone, has the power to transform his thoughts into physical reality; man, alone, can dream and make his dreams come true."
- Napoleon Hill
"Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations." - Steve Jobs
"Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness." - Napoleon Hill
"Why join the navy if you can be a pirate?" - Steve Jobs
"You have to just be really into what you're doing and what you're saying. You have to live it and if you live it and you mean what you say it comes natural actually. You don't try to be different because when you try to be different you end up being the same, because everyone's trying to be different. You know what you do, You be You, and if that doesn't work then this isn't what you should be doing. I don't stop. They ask me why do you work so hard? I ask them WHY NOT? I'm 24 years old, sleep for what.?"
- Dwane Michael Carter
"The man who does more than he is paid for will soon be paid for more than he does." - Napoleon Hill
"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." - Gandhi
"Success in its highest and noblest form calls for peace of mind and enjoyment and happiness which come only to the man who has found the work that he likes best." - Napoleon Hill
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
Quick Tip for Sourcing Email Addresses
This is an easy way to find email addresses on Google.
FINDING WORK EMAILS
Name - John Doe - Company - XYZ
"JohnDoe@xyz.com"
"JDoe@xyz.com"
"J.Doe@xyz.com"
"John.Doe@xyz.com
"John@xyz.com"
"JohnD@xyz.com
"Doe@xyz.com"
"John Doe" AND "@xyz.com"
To find personal emails use the same name variations in this search string.
"JohnDoe" AND "@gmail.com" OR "@hotmail.com" OR "@yahoo.com"
You can add multiple names by using OR - "JohnDoe" OR "J.Doe" OR "JDoe" AND "@gmail" "@hotmail" "@yahoo"
Google allows you to search up to 32 words at a time.
FINDING WORK EMAILS
Name - John Doe - Company - XYZ
"JohnDoe@xyz.com"
"JDoe@xyz.com"
"J.Doe@xyz.com"
"John.Doe@xyz.com
"John@xyz.com"
"JohnD@xyz.com
"Doe@xyz.com"
"John Doe" AND "@xyz.com"
To find personal emails use the same name variations in this search string.
"JohnDoe" AND "@gmail.com" OR "@hotmail.com" OR "@yahoo.com"
You can add multiple names by using OR - "JohnDoe" OR "J.Doe" OR "JDoe" AND "@gmail" "@hotmail" "@yahoo"
Google allows you to search up to 32 words at a time.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Colleges need to be significantly more involved with Chicago
My dream is to develop an appealing program which provides great value to the savvy CS students at the top Midwestern CS departments, bringing them to Chicago roughly 4 times a year. As of now the students who possess brilliant ideas are usually packing their bags, Silicon Valley bound, by the time it goes viral. We need to bring them to Chicago before it's to late and get them involved with not only the city and its tech community, but other entrepreneurs from all over the Midwest.
The CS students apply one month in advance and are matched up with other cs students from different schools to work in innovation/mastermind type groups. We match prior so they don't have to network with too many people, for it would be to scattered for shy developers in a room of 800 to find like minded counter-parts. The first session will allow them get acquainted and modify their groups aside from our initial matching. From there, they will begin working together for the remainder of the visits and by the fourth trip each group will have developed their own product/service/application.
We will also involve the Chicago business/MBA students allowing the “CEO's to be” an opportunity to work with genius developers. Putting them together will provide more flexibility and balance. Teaching them to innovate and turn ideas into reality is great, but by connecting them with like minded entrepreneurs LOCALLY we set them up to hit the ground running post graduation (the ground being Chicago).
Down the road I would like to work in conjunction with CS departments by incorporating the curriculum into each conference, at the same time allowing students to make money by utilizing what they learn -as they learn it. Now it's either “stay in school to get a good job” or “strike big and dropout”. It needs to be a smooth transition, students shouldn't have to stress so much about internships, their resume, and where they are going to find a job. Students will receive money and/or college credit so there's no need to worry about time spent participating in this conference. Our society and the American dream is solely based around money no matter how you look at it. Why are we forcing brilliant young kids to spend the most creative, innovative, ALIVE, and dreaming phases of their lives in a institution in which they can't even make money? You don't graduate, get a job and continue to work for grades, so why are we training are “professionals to be” to work for a grade when in reality they will be working for money? The current education structure forces students who begin making money to run away. Colleges and Universities need to educate them further, and embrace the fact they can make money. It's too black and white, “College & Learn” or “Work & Money”. If a student can make 100k in a semester through selling ads on his website which he draws traffic to by using social networks, then I think he most definitely deserves an A in his “online marketing” course. Colleges need to incorporate this but its crazy to think you could just put this together and have everyone agree- instead we start with a local conference and act as an example.
For my company, I write tons of creative literature, I do power points, give speeches, do so much research, endless hours.. stuff I really want to learn, and I put so much passion and energy into all of it. I help people re-write their resumes, teach them to utilize social networks and provide personal value, spend endless hours on the phone and at networking events. Why isn't that worth anything? They want me to do similar things at school but for things that really offer no value to me.
I dream to put together not only an umbrella for all technology in Chicago but also for all students interested in pursuing a career there. We will be the start of what other industries can continue to move forward, a movement where students meet at local conferences and form into mastermind groups. By teaching students to innovate and collaborate with other students in their area, prior to graduation, we lay the foundation not only for our youth to easily chase their dreams and reach their goals but also for a booming Chicago tech community.
I have no doubt the Midwestern CS departments are infested with Google's and Microsoft's of tomorrow and I can't stand watching another black swan spread his wings and fly to the west coast.
The CS students apply one month in advance and are matched up with other cs students from different schools to work in innovation/mastermind type groups. We match prior so they don't have to network with too many people, for it would be to scattered for shy developers in a room of 800 to find like minded counter-parts. The first session will allow them get acquainted and modify their groups aside from our initial matching. From there, they will begin working together for the remainder of the visits and by the fourth trip each group will have developed their own product/service/application.
We will also involve the Chicago business/MBA students allowing the “CEO's to be” an opportunity to work with genius developers. Putting them together will provide more flexibility and balance. Teaching them to innovate and turn ideas into reality is great, but by connecting them with like minded entrepreneurs LOCALLY we set them up to hit the ground running post graduation (the ground being Chicago).
Down the road I would like to work in conjunction with CS departments by incorporating the curriculum into each conference, at the same time allowing students to make money by utilizing what they learn -as they learn it. Now it's either “stay in school to get a good job” or “strike big and dropout”. It needs to be a smooth transition, students shouldn't have to stress so much about internships, their resume, and where they are going to find a job. Students will receive money and/or college credit so there's no need to worry about time spent participating in this conference. Our society and the American dream is solely based around money no matter how you look at it. Why are we forcing brilliant young kids to spend the most creative, innovative, ALIVE, and dreaming phases of their lives in a institution in which they can't even make money? You don't graduate, get a job and continue to work for grades, so why are we training are “professionals to be” to work for a grade when in reality they will be working for money? The current education structure forces students who begin making money to run away. Colleges and Universities need to educate them further, and embrace the fact they can make money. It's too black and white, “College & Learn” or “Work & Money”. If a student can make 100k in a semester through selling ads on his website which he draws traffic to by using social networks, then I think he most definitely deserves an A in his “online marketing” course. Colleges need to incorporate this but its crazy to think you could just put this together and have everyone agree- instead we start with a local conference and act as an example.
For my company, I write tons of creative literature, I do power points, give speeches, do so much research, endless hours.. stuff I really want to learn, and I put so much passion and energy into all of it. I help people re-write their resumes, teach them to utilize social networks and provide personal value, spend endless hours on the phone and at networking events. Why isn't that worth anything? They want me to do similar things at school but for things that really offer no value to me.
I dream to put together not only an umbrella for all technology in Chicago but also for all students interested in pursuing a career there. We will be the start of what other industries can continue to move forward, a movement where students meet at local conferences and form into mastermind groups. By teaching students to innovate and collaborate with other students in their area, prior to graduation, we lay the foundation not only for our youth to easily chase their dreams and reach their goals but also for a booming Chicago tech community.
I have no doubt the Midwestern CS departments are infested with Google's and Microsoft's of tomorrow and I can't stand watching another black swan spread his wings and fly to the west coast.
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