Three recent hiring trends we’ve observed, our feature on the Develop Yourself podcast, new jobs and more

Welcome to the February edition of the Recruiting from Scratch Report! Today marks the end of the shortest month - but February didn’t hold back when it comes to swings in the labor market.

2023 is off to....well, an interesting start. According to some headlines, we’re seeing record-high layoffs, but?jobs reports ?say we’re still adding new roles every month. So what gives?

If a friend lost their job tomorrow and found themselves unexpectedly looking, here’s what our team at RFS would tell them:

1. Broaden your search to include industries outside of traditional “tech” jobs:?Some industries are hiring more than others. It’s no secret that anything related to AI is receiving funding and attention - and hiring accordingly. Other industries, who perhaps relied on selling to startups or operate on a dwindling subscription model, have pumped the brakes. And then there’s the mass in the middle that have slowed hiring or are only backfilling roles as people leave. Spend some time researching sectors that are:

• Growing
• Maintaining their trajectory
• Making the smallest cuts

2. Be open to the possibility of in-person roles:?Don’t pull the trigger on a hasty move, but consider the benefits of in-person roles. Many applicants filter their job search by remote-only, and while remote roles are still out there (we hire for them every day!), you may find less competition if you’re willing to come to the office.

Consider the benefits. CEOs calling employees back to the office cite “increased collaboration,” and along with that comes increased opportunity to build connections. Early in your career, the effects of in-person relationships with colleagues can compound. And as a senior leader, building strong rapport with colleagues can set you up for future opportunities.

3. Read the news, but remember that YOU control your future:?The job search can be difficult at times, especially if you’ve gone through multiple layoffs between 2020-2023 (which - believe us - is much more common than you think!), but it’s important to remember that you still control your search. Candidates are being hired every day by staying consistent with applications, interviewing, and networking. And if you’re not connected to an agency like RFS who can help you look for opportunities - what are you waiting for?

PS?- have you been affected by a layoff? Check out the?roles we’re recruiting for ?and submit an application today.

Our feature on the Develop Yourself Podcast

Will recently met with Aaron Hayslip of the Develop Yourself Podcast to talk about bouncing back from a layoff, landing tech jobs, marketing yourself as an employee, and more. Listen to the full episode on Spotify.

Btw - Aaron runs a pretty cool company called Parsity, which teaches students how to land a software engineering job in 4-9 months. Check it out at https://parsity.io/ .

Great candidates we’re working with

We’re continuing to work with talented candidates from Google, Meta, Uber, and more. Years of experience range from junior to 15+. Check out a sample here , and let us know if there’s a candidate (or two!) you’d like to meet.

How to structure a winning cold outreach

What makes a good cold message? The question isn’t new, but mastering cold emails and DMs yields results for jobseekers, for recruiters on the search, and for company founders alike. Here are some of our favorite tips when it comes to reaching out cold:

1. Recognize it’s a cold outreach from the get-go. Acknowledging to the other person that they don’t know you (…yet) is much better than feigning a connection.
2. Personalize a bit. Include the person’s name and why you’re reaching out (”your profile or resume caught my eye because…I see you have X skills, or Y experience at a similar industry”). But doublecheck anything personalized before you hit send - no one wants to receive a message that says, “Dear [Name here]”!
3. Get to the point quickly. The highest response rates come messages that are just a few sentences long. Condensing while still being clear is easier said than done, so bouncing a few drafts off of a friend isn’t a bad idea.
4. Offer a clear value proposition. Mention something you bring to the table that can help whoever you’re reaching out to. If you’re a jobseeker, share something interesting about how you’d crush the job description. If you’re a recruiter, share a key selling point of the position.

What are some tips you’d have for those venturing into the world of cold messages? We’d love to hear them.

Roles we’re hiring for right now

Jobseekers, take note! We’ve opened exciting new roles this month. Check out the links below to learn more and apply.

• Data Governance Manager : Bring your data skills to an innovative educational company, building assessment and curriculum products.
• Senior Software Engineer : Help the agriculture industry better tackle their backend office operations - a highly unique opportunity.
• Senior Frontend Engineer : Build an end-to-end environment for a company disrupting the entire software development lifecycle.
• Senior Product Designer : Become a senior member of a team designing e-commerce solutions; pre-IPO company.
• Another Senior Product Designer : Because one featured Product Design role this week isn’t enough! Join a team using open source technology to improve the issues the US democracy faces.

What you may have missed: Other RFS news on our blog

Answering the interview question, “What are your long term career goals?”: This can be a difficult question for jobseekers who aren’t sure, but a great answer can be crafted no matter where you’re at. Read the full post here.

Sending a candidate rejection email gracefully: Letting a candidate know they didn’t get the job can be nerve-wracking - especially if you really liked them, almost hired them, or want to keep the door open.. Read our advice here.

Hiring for a hardware engineering job: It’s no easy task to find, recruit, and hire the best talent for your hardware engineering jobs. We discuss interview questions and resources to aid in your search here.

From all of us at Recruiting from Scratch: don’t hesitate to reach out if you’re a jobseeker on the market or a hiring manager looking to fill roles. We’d love to be part of your success story.