Maximizing Opportunities: Partnering with Recruiters in the Tech Job Market

Skilled developers continue to be in high demand, a trend that has remained consistent over several decades. Despite the influx of experienced developers resulting from the layoffs at major tech companies in 2023, the overall need for developers remains robust. While some companies may exercise caution in their hiring due to economic uncertainties, the role of developers remains pivotal for businesses seeking to thrive and innovate.

With 25 years of experience as a contract developer, I've gained valuable insights into the intricacies of filling open positions and optimizing your prospects for securing your next job. Here are some practical tips and strategies to guide you through the job market and establish realistic expectations regarding compensation:

• Familiarize yourself with the standard hiring process, including its various stages, expectations, and prevalent interview formats. Equipping yourself with this knowledge will enable you to prepare thoroughly and exude confidence throughout the recruitment process.
• Direct your job search efforts towards companies and positions that align with your skills, experience, and career aspirations. Tailor your resume and cover letter for each specific role, emphasizing pertinent skills and accomplishments.
• Harness the power of your professional network to connect with potential employers and industry peers. Actively engage in industry events, online communities, and networking activities to broaden your connections and uncover potential job opportunities.
• Stay abreast of the latest technological advancements in your field, encompassing new programming languages, frameworks, and tools. Continuously expanding your skill set will enhance your attractiveness to potential employers.
• Conduct thorough research on salary ranges for comparable positions in your geographical area and experience level. Prepare compelling arguments showcasing your achievements and value to the company to negotiate a fair and competitive compensation package.

Despite transient market fluctuations, the demand for skilled developers remains favorable. By mastering the hiring process, targeting your job search effectively, nurturing your professional network, staying technologically updated, and approaching compensation negotiations with confidence, you can significantly enhance your prospects of securing your next job and attaining your desired level of compensation.

RECRUITERS

Recruiters play a vital role in the hiring process, acting as intermediaries between job seekers and Hiring Managers. Understanding why Hiring Managers utilize recruiters requires insight into their psychological dynamics.

Hiring Managers face immense pressure to make the right hiring decisions. A poor choice can necessitate restarting the hiring process, consuming valuable time, and causing frustration. Moreover, it tarnishes the Hiring Managers reputation both among their team and with their superiors. Multiple missteps erode trust in their judgment. This pressure drives Hiring Managers to partner with recruiters, as it enhances the likelihood of making successful hires. However, this collaboration is often not with just any recruiter—it's with those they trust. By relying on trusted recruiters, Hiring Managers believe they can mitigate the risk of making a detrimental hire.

Unless you already have a personal relationship with a Hiring Manager, understanding the motivations behind Hiring Managers decisions underscores the necessity of leveraging recruiter. Utilizing recruiters significantly boosts the chances of being hired.

To effectively utilize recruiters to your advantage, there are several essential insights you should grasp.

RECRUITER CATAGORIES

Recruiters vary in their approaches and locations, generally falling into three main categories:

• Local Recruiters: These recruiters are based in or near major cities. They often maintain close relationships with Hiring Managers, offering a valuable advantage to job seekers. However, it's essential to exercise discernment, as this isn't universally true.
• National Recruiters: Operating on a broader scale within the U.S., national recruiters may not have the same proximity to Hiring Managers as local counterparts. Nonetheless, there's typically a higher level of trust stemming from established partnerships between the recruiter's firm and the Hiring Manager's company.
• Offshore Recruiters: Job seekers may encounter offshore recruiters, often reaching out from locations outside the U.S. While some companies engage offshore recruiters for cost reasons, these recruiters may lack the relationships and trust with employers found in local or national counterparts. Instead, they often rely on sourcing candidates from job boards.

Understanding the distinctions among these recruiter categories can aid job seekers in navigating their options effectively.

OFFSHORE RECRUITER DISINGENOUS TACTICS

Describing the tactics of offshore recruiters as disingenuous might be an understatement. If one subscribes to the notion that concealing the truth constitutes a form of dishonesty, then labeling their actions as such would be more fitting.

Offshore recruiters are keenly aware that job seekers are more inclined to engage with recruiters based onshore. Consequently, they resort to various deceptive strategies aimed at fostering the impression that they operate within the United States. Here are the common methods they employ:

• Adopting Americanized Names: Offshore recruiters may assume names with an American flair or create aliases to obscure their true location, aiming to appear more relatable to American job seekers.
• Using American Phone Numbers: They may utilize Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services or acquire virtual phone numbers with American area codes, giving the impression of being physically present in the U.S.
• Masking IP Addresses: Offshore recruiters might employ proxy servers or virtual private networks (VPNs) to conceal their actual IP addresses, creating the illusion of connectivity from within the United States.
• Employing American Mailing Addresses: They may subscribe to virtual mailbox services or utilize platforms offering American mailing addresses, thereby projecting a semblance of having a local presence.
• Cultivating American Accents: Some offshore recruiters undergo training or hire individuals proficient in speaking English with an American accent to enhance their perceived authenticity.
• Demonstrating Acquaintance with American Culture: Offshore recruiters may familiarize themselves with American customs, contemporary events, and business protocols to bolster their credibility within the American context.
• Establishing a Professional Online Presence: They create professional websites, social media profiles, and online portfolios showcasing their expertise and purported American affiliations.
• Leveraging American References: Offshore recruiters may solicit references or testimonials from American individuals or businesses to reinforce their credibility and trustworthiness.
• Exploiting American Employment Platforms: They leverage American job boards, networking sites, and professional platforms to engage with potential candidates, further reinforcing the facade of a local presence.
• Adopting American Communication Styles: Offshore recruiters adjust their communication style to align with American norms, employing casual language and maintaining a friendly demeanor to resonate with job seekers.

In essence, offshore recruiters’ resort to a range of stratagems to project the illusion of being U.S.-based, leveraging these deceptive practices to engender trust and credibility among American job seekers.

HOW TO RECOGNIZE OFFSHORE RECRUITERS

Identifying offshore recruiters, particularly those from India, can be accomplished through several revealing methods:

• Accent Recognition: Offshore recruiters, commonly based in India, often possess unmistakable accents. Their thick Indian accents can be challenging to decipher, contributing to a sense of ambiguity and difficulty in communication. However, it's important to acknowledge that while Indian accents are prevalent among offshore recruiters, not all individuals with Indian accents are recruiters from offshore locations. Nonetheless, these accents can serve as a potential red flag warranting further scrutiny.
• Absence of LinkedIn Account Reference: Unlike their local and national counterparts, offshore recruiters frequently refrain from including references to their LinkedIn profiles in their email signatures. This deliberate omission may be part of their strategy to conceal their true identity and location. While not foolproof, this absence can serve as a noteworthy indicator of potential offshore engagement.
• Direct Inquiry: Probing recruiters directly about their physical location can also yield insights. When questioned, offshore recruiters may exhibit discomfort or evasion, often providing vague or misleading responses. This discomfort arises from their intent to obscure their true offshore origins. It's not uncommon for them to attempt to divert attention or provide ambiguous answers when pressed about their actual location.

I have often asked recruiters that I suspect to be offshore if they are physically located in the United States. The question seems to catch them off guard. Their answers range from a truthful “no”, to trying to skirt around the question. If they are evasive, I respond with “My question is are you physically located, right now, in India.” If yes, then I respond with “I only work with US Recruiters. Thank you.” and hang up.

While these methods can aid in uncovering offshore recruiters, particularly those operating from India, it's imperative to approach the identification process with vigilance and skepticism. Offshore recruiters frequently employ deceptive tactics aimed at presenting themselves as local entities, underscoring the importance of thorough scrutiny and caution in dealings with such entities.

ENGAGING WITH OFFSHORE RECRUITERS HAS RISK

Engaging with offshore recruiters can be a mixed bag. While there are certainly legitimate professionals, there's also an increased risk of encountering scams. Here's what to watch out for:

• Fake job offers and advance fee scams: These scams lure you in with dream jobs and then pressure you to pay for processing fees, visas, or other fabricated costs. They might even use real company names or logos to appear convincing. In other cases, they might promise to connect you with employers for a fee but disappear after you pay.
• Data phishing and unnecessary services: Some might try to steal your personal information like bank details or social security numbers under the pretense of needing them for the application. This information can be used for identity theft. Others might push unnecessary services like resume writing or interview coaching at inflated prices.
• Red flags to watch out for: Be wary of unsolicited contacts promising dream jobs, urgency to pressure you into paying fees, poor communication with typos or generic messages, and requests for upfront money. Legitimate recruiters communicate professionally and wouldn't ask you to pay anything upfront.

There have also been reports of offshore recruiters engaging in the unethical practice of using your resume for other candidates.

The decision to engage with offshore recruiters is, of course, yours. Personally, because they almost always lack any trust relationship with the hiring company or the Hiring Manager, I don’t waste my time. But if you choose to engage them, you can increase your chances of having a positive experience by staying cautious, researching the recruiter and the job offer, and avoiding any requests for money upfront.

MITIGATING RISKS

Research the recruiter: Look for online reviews and check their website for legitimacy.

Be cautious with unsolicited contact: Be wary of recruiters who contact you out of the blue with vague job offers.

Never share confidential information: Avoid sharing your Social Security number or other sensitive information upfront.

Ask about visa sponsorship: If relocation is involved, clarify visa sponsorship details early on.

Consider using a reputable job board: Look for jobs on established platforms with screening processes in place.

Trust your gut: If something feels off about the recruiter or the job offer, don't hesitate to walk away.

“OPPORTUNIUTIES”

In the language of recruiters, they often present job openings as "opportunities" rather than just "jobs." This terminology has become standard in the industry, so it's beneficial to adopt it during conversations with recruiters. When interacting with them, remember to use the term "opportunity" to align with their language and convey your understanding of the process. However, while it's important to adapt to this linguistic convention, candidates should still assess each opportunity based on its specific merits, including factors like job responsibilities, compensation, and how well it aligns with their career goals.

RECRUITERS ARE A GOOD THING

Great recruiters make a big difference. But not all recruiters are created equal.

Top recruiters build strong connections with companies (their clients). This benefits both sides by streamlining the hiring process. Less experienced recruiters might struggle with this relationship-building aspect.

Technical skills matter for technical recruiters. They do not necessarily need to be technical experts. But there is at least a minimum level of technical understanding of the specific skills required to accurately assess your qualifications.

The key is to find a recruiter who works for you. Look for someone who demonstrates professionalism and expertise – they'll be your partner in navigating the job search.

RECRUITERS VS. ACCOUNTS MANAGERS

In most staffing agencies, roles are divided into Recruiters and Account Managers. Both play vital roles in the job market, but their focus areas differ:

• Recruiters act as talent scouts, searching for qualified candidates to fill open positions. They spend their time understanding the needs of the hiring company, identifying potential candidates through various channels, screening resumes and conducting interviews, and ultimately presenting the most suitable candidates to the company.
• Account managers, on the other hand, focus on building and maintaining relationships with client companies. They typically manage a portfolio of existing clients, understanding their specific hiring needs, challenges, and long-term goals. Account managers work to develop solutions that fulfill these needs, which may involve recommending qualified candidates (often found by recruiters within the company) but also extend to services like managing the recruiting process or providing consultation on talent acquisition strategies.

Recruiters are like the salesforce within a staffing agency, finding and qualifying talent for account managers to then present to client companies. They usually report to a recruiting manager or team lead who oversees the overall recruitment process and ensures recruiters are meeting their goals.

Account Managers often report to a sales director and may manage a team of recruiters themselves. They act as the bridge between the client company and the staffing agency. They focus is on client satisfaction and business development, ensuring a smooth experience for both sides.

Most often you will first work with a Recruiter, but you may be contacted by the Account Manager. Or the Account Manager may instead work through the Recruiter. It depends on how they manage their business.

ALWAYS BE RESPECTFUL

When interacting with recruiters you believe to be local or based in the U.S., it's crucial to approach them with respect. Whether you opt for a concise exchange or a more extended conversation, maintaining professionalism is paramount. Doing so not only reflects well on your conduct but also fosters a positive relationship with the recruiter, potentially benefiting your job search efforts.

RECRUITER SERVE EMPLOYERS, NOT YOU

While recruiters may appear to advocate for the best interests of job seekers, their allegiance ultimately lies with their clients: the employers. It's vital to understand that recruiters do not represent job seekers; they represent the employers who pay their salaries. Consequently, recruiters are motivated to place the most qualified candidates in their clients' open positions, as their compensation depends on successful placements.

HOW RECRUITERS GET PAID

Understanding how recruiters are compensated sheds light on their motivations, which can significantly impact salary negotiation.

Recruiters typically receive payment through four primary methods:

• Contingency Fees: Some recruiters operate on a contingency basis, meaning they only receive payment if they successfully place a candidate in a job. This fee is usually a percentage of the candidates first-year salary. If no placement occurs, the recruiter does not get paid.
• Retained Search Fees: With this model, the hiring company pays the recruiter upfront to conduct a search for suitable candidates. Often used for higher-level executive positions or specialized roles, the fee is usually paid in installments throughout the recruitment process.
• Flat Fees: Recruiters may charge a fixed fee for their services, irrespective of the outcome. This amount is typically agreed upon between the recruiter and the hiring company.
• Hourly Rates: Some recruiters charge an hourly rate for their services, though this is less common and usually reserved for consulting or specialized recruitment projects.

Understanding this dynamic is crucial because, while recruiters may earn a percentage of your first year’s salary, its important to remember that they ultimately work for their client—the employer—not for you. This can create a motivation to negotiate for the lowest possible salary to satisfy their client. However, recruiters also have an interest in maintaining positive relationships with candidates, as satisfied candidates are more likely to refer others and return for future assistance. Moreover, negotiating a fair salary benefits both parties in the long run, fostering goodwill and potentially leading to repeat business from the client.

?? Note: If you encounter any opportunity that requires you to pay, steer clear. While such schemes are increasingly uncommon, they still linger. Should you stumble upon one, its undoubtedly a scam. Simply walk away.

RESUME FORMATS

We all cherish our resumes. Hours are poured into their creation, meticulously proofreading for accuracy, and obsessing over formatting details, even down to the choice of font, all in the hope of making our resumes catch the eye.

Yet, the harsh reality is that these efforts might be in vain. Why? Because the task of aligning your skills with available job opportunities is now largely handled by machines, not humans.

APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEMS (ATS)

Many recruiters, along with numerous large employers who handle their own recruitment internally, rely on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). These systems streamline hiring processes by managing job postings, filtering applications, sorting resumes, and identifying potential candidates within a centralized platform.

Gone are the days of manual resume sifting by Hiring Managers and recruiters, a laborious and time-consuming task that could impact a recruiter's earnings. Instead, ATS systems automate much of this process, efficiently matching candidates to open positions.

However, while ATS systems are efficient, they are not infallible. Even if you possess the necessary qualifications, your resume may still be rejected for attempting to manipulate ATS algorithms, such as through excessive keyword stuffing.

To enhance your resume's chances of passing through ATS filters and onto the shortlist for a given position, it's essential to structure it effectively. This involves employing strategies to optimize compatibility with ATS algorithms, ensuring your resume stands out among other applicants.

(Now that you know that it is not a human, but rather an ATS system that is matching your skills and experience to an open position, you can search for articles about ATS. One that I like best is here.)

YOUR RESUME

Considering a resume writing service is natural, and there are many reputable resume writing services available. If you have some extra money laying around, feel free. But you don’t need to. Armed with an understanding of ATS, you have the capability to compose your own resume and optimize it to navigate through ATS algorithms. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Resume Length: Unlike previous recommendations for brevity, modern resumes should prioritize conveying comprehensive information over strict length limitations. While brevity is important, focus on providing enough detail to assist recruiters and hiring managers in making informed decisions.
• Skills List: Ensure your resume includes a clear list of your skills, along with the number of years of experience for each skill.
• Certifications: List all relevant certifications, including their start and end dates. Even if a certification has expired, include it for transparency, and ensure accuracy with dates to avoid discrepancies.
• Work Experience Format: Present your work experience in reverse chronological order, detailing position title, company name, location, employment dates, and concise descriptions of duties. Additionally, indicate if a position was a contract role and include start and end months, as many ATS systems require this level of detail.

For example:

[From Month Year] – [To Month Year] -or- [Present]

[Position Title] | [Company Name] | [City, State]

[Concise Description of Duties (in bulleted format)]

Always include start and end months. ATS systems will reject resumes that only include start and end years. What is initially crucial is prioritizing ATS compatibility. If exact dates are unavailable, approximate them to ensure your resume passes through ATS screenings. If employers do verify dates, it’s likely going to be done by someone in HR after the hiring manager has made the decision to hire you. By then, the hiring manager won’t care if the months are accurate.

Do not write your description of duties in paragraph format. ATS wants it in bulleted list format. Also, structure it to reflect the results you achieved wherever possible, rather than the duty itself.

MICROSOFT CREATE – ATS RESUME TEMPLATES

Thanks to Microsoft Create, there are free ATS compatible resume templates available to you that you can edit in Microsoft Word. You can find them here: Free ATS resume templates | Microsoft Create. If your resume is not in ATS format, I recommend choosing one of them, transferring your resume info to it, and abandoning your non-ATS compatible resume.

INDEED.COM

If you don’t want to do that, the next best option is Indeed.com. Format your resume as described above, upload it to Indeed.com, allow Indeed to convert it to Indeed format, then download your resume. Here’s how:

1. Sign up for or log into your Indeed.com account.
2. Go to your Indeed profile.
3. Delete exiting resume on Indeed. (Download it first if you need to have a copy of it.)
4. Click on the Upload resume button.
5. Select your local copy of the resume you want to upload. (Hopefully you edited it first to put it in ATS compatible format.)
6. Click the Upload button.

Indeed will convert your resume to PDF format. But you are not done yet…

1. Click the Convert to Indeed Resume button and confirm that you want to convert your resume.
2. Click the Review your resume button and go through the entire wizard. Ensure that indeed parsed your resume correctly. Make any necessary corrections. These usually involve fixing line feeds in your resume formatting.
3. When you are back on your profile page, click the arrow to the top right of your Indeed Resume.
4. Click the vertical ellipsis and select Download. You should now have a copy of your resume in PDF format.
5. Open your downloaded PDF resume in Word and change the font if you like. It will eventually wind up being viewed by a human after all. Save it in Word format.

Congratulations! You now have a copy of your resume in a format that is highly compatible with any ATS.

PDF or WORD? BOTH. BUT…

When sending your resume to any recruiter, they will invariably ask for it in Microsoft Word format for two reasons. First, they want to enter it into their own ATS, and Word format is much easier for them to do that. Second, they want to be able to put their company’s logo and header on your resume before sending it to their client, the employer.

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM MISREPRESENTATION BY RECRUITERS

You may not be sure just yet if you want a particular recruiter putting your resume into their system. Unscrupulous recruiters will tell employers that they have your express permission to represent you exclusively to an employer. (More on unscrupulous recruiter practices below). If you suspect that to be the case, send them a PDF copy of your resume instead. A tech-savvy recruiter can get around your resume not being in word format and put their header on it anyway. But not being in word format will slow them down from the despicable practice of claiming they have your permission to submit you, when in fact they do not.

Personally, I do not send any recruiter my resume until they have sent me a full job description, and I have decided if it is a good match for me.

JOB BOARDS

Now that your resume is in ATS compatible format, your next step in your job quest is to post it to the tech job boards. There are many tech job boards out there. Some are better than others. Below are the ones that I use. How many you upload your ATS compatible resume to is entirely up to you. I recommend uploading your ATS compatible resume in Microsoft Word format to all of them.

1. Indeed
2. LinkedIn
3. Glassdoor
4. Dice
5. StackOverlowJobs
6. GitHub Careers
7. TechCareers
8. CyberCoders
9. Hired
10. Monster
11. Careerbuilder
12. Ziprecruiter

After submitting your resume, make sure it is set to be searchable. This allows it to pass through ATS, be matched with current opportunities, and appear on recruiters’ screens locally, nationally, and internationally, on the morning of the very next day. If there are jobs available, you will likely be contacted by recruiters.

COMPANY JOB BOARDS

Larger companies often have dedicated career sections on their websites where they list job openings and manage the application process. Additionally, many of these companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) like Oracle Taleo to automate recruitment tasks such as resume screening and candidate communication. If you're interested in opportunities at specific companies, it's recommended to visit their official website and explore their career pages to view and apply for relevant positions directly.

UNSCRUPULOUS RECRUITER PRACTICES

It is not a common occurrence, especially when working exclusively with local recruiters. But the longer you engage with offshore them, the higher your chances of encountering unethical recruiters and questionable practices.

Typically, recruiters will seek your explicit permission before forwarding your application to an employer for a specific role. It's vital to weigh your options carefully. If you have another trusted recruiter or firm in mind, you're free to inform the initial recruiter of your decision to explore other avenues and reach out to your preferred recruiter. In many cases, they may already be aware of the opportunity or can locate it. You can then inquire if they're willing to represent you. Ultimately, the best approach depends on the strength of the relationship they maintain with the employer.

It's crucial to engage with only one recruiter per opportunity. It's the recruiter's responsibility to obtain your resume submission approval before submitting your resume to the employer. Reputable recruiters may request your birth month and day to verify your consent for submission. Contractual agreements between recruiters and employers typically determine credit allocation based on submission timing. The timing of submission plays a pivotal role, with the first recruiter typically receiving credit for the submission.

Instances of forged emails falsely indicating your consent to be submitted by unscrupulous recruiters have been reported. If that results in double submission, it will invariably lead to your immediate disqualification by the employer of both you, and both recruiters.

If you authorized submission only by your trusted recruiter, and you are the strongest candidate, they will likely strive to advocate for you. But even if rectifiable, it will entail significant effort by both you, and your recruiter, with the employer. And your trusted recruiter is not going to be happy about it.

Whether you remain a viable candidate or not, if you discover that you have been submitted for an opportunity without your express permission, it warrants immediately severing all ties with the unscrupulous recruiter and their agency.

This underscores the importance of exercising caution when working with offshore recruiters, and why you should think hard before handing over your resume in an easily editable format like Word until you have made a firm decision to be submitted for the specific job opportunity.

SEND ME A JOB DESCRIPTION

I like talking to recruiters. You can get a lot of information about the current job market and what they are seeing. All you must do is ask. Always be respectful with all local and onshore recruiters, always. Many will run through their script of what I call their “sniff test” to make sure they are not wasting their time on someone that is not a qualified viable candidate, no matter what your resume says. If you’re short on time, you can simply ask them to send you a job description, which is what they want to do anyway.

IS IT A GOOD FIT?

Many recruiters will tell you they believe you are a good fit when in fact you are not. Because they are interested in putting several resumes in from of their client, the employer. Unfortunately, there is often one or more other candidates that they submitted to the employer along with you that the recruiter believes has the best chance of being hired. That makes you and everyone else they submit what I call “filler”. More on that later.

I can always look at any job description and judge for myself whether the opportunity is a good match for my skill set or not. If it is, great. If you don’t believe the opportunity is a good fit, then say so. But be aware that employers often write job descriptions that at first glance make you believe they are looking for a mythical creature, describing qualifications that few candidates have. Or if they do, they are not going to accept the position for the low compensation the employer is willing to pay. Keep in mind that it is never a good idea to try to shoehorn yourself into any position that is not a good fit, no matter what the recruiter says.

Sometimes job descriptions have been written by someone in HR. Because that’s how it’s done at their company. HR isn’t IT. It still never hurts to talk to the recruiter. They often have insight into why they believe you are qualified, what is important to their client, and what is just nice to have. Recruiters also like to get the details of what you are looking for in your next opportunity. They enter those details into their system for any future opportunities. All job opportunities are opportunities that are available at a single point in time. Beyond the short current point in time, past opportunities close and a new set of opportunities open.

QUESTIONS TO ASK ANY RECRUITER

Here is a list of questions I ask all recruiters. I typically send them via email once they present me with an opportunity and job description that I believe may be a good fit. A reputable recruiter will be able to answer these questions. If not immediately, then have them go back to the employer for the answers.

• What is the reason for the open position?
• Am I the only one you will be submitting to this employer for this position?
• What are the three main qualifications the client is looking for?
• Is what you've sent me the official job description?
• Are you working with this employer exclusively?
• How long has the job been open?
• What is the employers’ range of compensation?
• What is the interview process?
• Where is the job located?

AM I FILLER?

I'm not inclined to be any recruiters filler. Just because a recruiter aims to present numerous candidates to their client does not necessitate my participation in that strategy. By practicing discernment and asking specific questions, you can often determine whether you are the top candidate in the recruiters eyes, or merely being used to fill quotas. Moreover, these inquiries can unveil potential concerns regarding the recruiter, employer, or Hiring Manager. It's essential to tailor your questions to address any uncertainties you may have. Each of the above questions serves a purpose. I'm particularly interested in understanding why the position is vacant and whether I'm the sole candidate being submitted by the recruiter.

CONSIDER CREATING A TEMPORARY EMAIL AND PHONE NUMBER

Consider setting up a dedicated email account and phone number specifically for your job search to avoid cluttering your personal contact channels with job-related messages and spam.

Employing methods for managing and directing phone calls can help you quickly identify whether a call is related to your job search.

For email, you can create a no-cost account using services like Microsoft, Google, or Proton Mail.

To manage phone calls, you can utilize Google Voice, which allows you to generate a custom phone number from available options. This number can be linked to your existing cell phone. Google Voice offers various call routing features, including call screening and voicemail.

You can then use your Google Voice number on your resume and job board profiles and share it with recruiters and potential employers. This way, when a call comes through, you can easily determine if it pertains to your job search and respond accordingly.

TAILOR YOUR RESUME

If your goal is to obtain a specific type of position, write your resume for that position and that position only. For example, if you were a machinist in the past, and list your machinist experience on your resume, you will end up getting calls and emails about machinist opportunities. If you don’t want that to happen, simply leave any references to Machinist off of your resume. If doing so creates a gap in your resume timeline, then simply list the company name and dates of employment on your resume but leave off the Machinist job title and any description of duties. Or write a generic description of duties like “Worked 40 hours per week while pursuing related education."

TRUNCATE YOUR RESUME

There has been advice recently that you might consider truncating your resume employment history. The logic behind it is that, especially in tech, is if you are listing employers and job duties greater than 10 years ago, then you are listing ancient history in tech that is likely irrelevant today. That tends to muddy up your resume. I would tend to agree. But only if you are a senior job seeker. Your call.

SALARY.COM

If you want to see what salary you can expect for any career, you can’t beat salary.com. This site will show you the low, mid, and high range for any position within any geographic area. You can then use that to adjust your career goals, and to know what you should expect and ask for as compensation for most any position you are considering.

GLASSDOOR.COM

Glassdoor.com is excellent for seeing what past and present employees think about a company. You can gain insight about a company’s management, perks, benefits, interview process, and company culture. Keep in mind though that as with any company, some of the reviews are from current and former disgruntled employees. Some people are disgruntled wherever they work.

SIT BACK AND WAIT FOR THE CALLS AND EMAILS TO ROLL IN

This is where I used to say that you could expect to be inundated with calls and emails from recruiters. Unfortunately, that is not currently the case. The large tech companies laid off over 60k tech workers in 2023. The yield curve inverted on March 29, 2024 for the first time since 2019, signaling investor confidence loss. Driven by high inflation, interest rates are at 8.5% (in March 2024). And Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell has hinted at further rate increases. Add to that the disruptions and economic challenges caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and you get many economists warning of an upcoming recession. When companies fear recession a common strategy is to implement layoffs and slow hiring to preserve cash reserves to ensure business survival.

That does not necessarily indicate a lack of demand for tech workers overall. It also does not mean that you should overlook understanding and using recruiter strategies. If you follow the above steps, you will have the best chance of being contacted by recruiters. Just be aware that where there used to be 10 to 20 applicants per job, it it not uncommon today for jobs to have 200 applicants, or more.

TRACKING

Your job now becomes one of tracking. Calls and emails can quickly get out of control. You should keep track of opportunities with a spreadsheet, listing, at a minimum, recruiter names, recruiter company, phone numbers, email addresses, employer, job name, and dates. I cannot stress this enough. It is simple to track them all in your head at first. But it can get away from you quickly, putting you at risk of being double submitted.

YOU’RE NOT DONE

You need to be aware of how the recruiting system works. Available jobs and available candidates change daily. Jobs that were available when you posted your resume have since been filled, and new jobs have come up. ATS is matching those new jobs to available candidates.

Recruiters seek fresh candidates. Fresh candidates are more likely to not already be engaged in the placement process for a position. That makes fresh candidates more desirable.

As time passes, you will notice recruiter calls and emails begin to drop off significantly. They are not dropping off because of you, nor because of a lack of opportunities. They are dropping off because your resume has become stale. ATS is no longer matching you to new opportunities. It is matching new opportunities to new candidates.

Getting your resume to pop up again on recruiter screens the next day is simple. To put your resume back on top, go back to all the job boards where you submitted your resume, delete your resume, and upload it again. It is as simple as that.

You do not need to change anything on your resume. You can upload the exact same resume you uploaded a week ago. What’s important is that you delete your resume from the job board and upload your resume again. That will make ATS match your resume to the latest set of new opportunities. Remember to again make your resume publicly searchable. ?

Updating your resume won’t work. But whether you can delete and upload your resume depends on the job board. Some job boards only allow you to update. If that’s the case, and updating is all you can do, then go ahead and update. Just be aware that wherever possible, you should delete any existing resume, and upload your resume to the job board again. That is what will make your resume pass through ATS and pop up again on all recruiter screens across the globe, putting you again front and center in the recruiter’s eyes for the current crop of open opportunities.

HIGHER LEVEL POSITIONS

I tailored this advice for roles in tech development, yet it holds relevance across non-tech positions and career levels. Its important to note that in regions with fewer opportunities, or when applying this approach to senior roles like management, the number of available opportunities may be lower. Consequently, expect a lower volume of recruiter calls and emails compared to those in tech development roles.

THE CHALLANGE OF TECHNICAL INTERVIEWS

When progressing to the interview stage for a programming role, its common for technical interviews to be part of the process. While recruiters may not always explicitly mention this, you can gain insight into the employers interview approach by asking the recruiter beforehand.

Technical interviews are a standard practice in many hiring processes, especially for full-time positions. Exceptions may occur when you have a strong personal connection with the hiring manager or when contracting arrangements are in place, potentially shortening or skipping the technical interview.

Technical interviews can be daunting, but there are strategies to mitigate their impact. One approach is to manage the interviews duration effectively. While interviewers may have a list of questions, its reasonable to limit the scope of questioning if you feel confident in your initial responses. Asking insightful questions of your own can signal your readiness to move on from the technical segment of the interview.

Another effective strategy is to suggest taking a skills assessment on a platform like HackerRank.com, tailored to the position. This proactive approach demonstrates your willingness to showcase your abilities, albeit in a controlled environment where reference materials may be used.

While technical interviews are a common part of the hiring process, success depends on preparation, professionalism, and adaptability to each employers expectations. By approaching technical interviews with confidence and readiness to engage, you can navigate them effectively and enhance your candidacy for programming roles.

Good luck with your job search! If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

Jim Heath