
Dear Recruiters: (a canned response to recruiting emails) - puls
http://dearrecruiters.com
======
RyanGWU82
Yes yes yes! This is what drives me CRAZY about the job postings from Y
Combinator companies here on Hacker News. I would NEVER apply for a job
without knowing what the company does and who is behind it. "Stealth mode" is
a lame excuse. We've all learned that execution trumps ideas alone, and is a
surprise launch _really_ the cornerstone of your execution?

Before applying for a job, I would want to check out the company's home page
and see "do they look competent? Do they look like they're building a product
that they're proud of? Is it something that I want to be a part of?" I'd also
want to check out the company on LinkedIn or other social networks, to see if
they're actually thought leaders in their community, and to see if I know
anyone who can give some more color on the people involved.

It's a job seeker's market out there. You may be special, but if you don't
tell me who you are, I'm unable to determine whether you're really special or
not.

~~~
nantes
You mean like <http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2765209>, which is on the
front page right now?

Absolutely agree, though.

~~~
theoj
Wow, that post is appalling poor and demonstrates complete lack of
understanding of their target audience, namely programmers.

Upfront, it tells you everything you are not getting as an employee... free
time, good salary or nutritious food. Then it tells you absolutely nothing
about what you are getting... like you know, things an engineer might be
interested in... interesting work, spiffy new programming languages etc.
Instead they ramble on about how great they are and focus mostly on business
figures like revenue. Even with regards to business stuff things sound scary.
Revenue slopes you would not ski down on? Makes me think of plummeting
revenues.

~~~
potatolicious
My thought upon reading that (having recently relocated to SF): They have an
office in the _most expensive_ corner of SOMA... and yet they're expecting you
to ramen it? That better come with one _FAT_ piece of equity.

When you tell people to take a 6-figure salary cut and starting "$5 subs like
it's going out of style" the next line should be about the top-notch equity
package they're offering.

Also, expecting people to act like it's a garage-ramen startup when you have
an office in the most expensive corner of startup-town is a bit of a non-
sequitor.

------
megamark16
Here's my canned response:

I want to work with the cool technologies I love, namely Python, Django,
jQuery, Postgresql, MongoDB, and if it has to be Java it better be something
cool for Android.

I need at least ${insert a very competitive salary for my region} to make a
jump. I also need full time and good benefits, I don't do contract to hire.

I need a flexible work schedule, sometimes I like to come in very early,
sometimes not. I also hate commuting so being able to work from home at least
once a week is a must.

So far my requirements have been enough to keep most recruiters at bay.

------
chubs
After being burnt by _another_ cold calling recruiter (you'd think i'd learn
to simply hang up on them) this week, i feel obliged to pay respect where it's
due to my favourite recruiter. If you're in sydney, and you're looking for a
job or a recruiter, speak to steve gilles: <http://stevegilles.com/>

~~~
bartonfink
Hey chubs,

I'm thinking about relocating from the States to Australia in the next few
years (roughly 2015). I'm starting to feel out the best way to make a move
like this happen, and one arena I'm a little curious about is employment. I
can't exactly move my family halfway around the world without a job lined up,
although I am willing to go to extraordinary lengths to make that job happen.

Do you think Steve would be open to answering some basic ?'s about the
immigration process as it pertains to employment? If he's still in the
business in 4 years he might snag a commission off me...

Edit: beilabs, same goes to you if you see this first. Any thoughts?

~~~
stevegilles
bartonfink,

I would certainly be able to describe the Australian employment market. Happy
to fill you in on the basics of immigration too. But just the basics, what I
don't know about visas could fill a warehouse :)

I emailed the GMail account listed in your profile and look forward to having
a chat.

Steve Gilles @stevelikesyou

------
pud
Brilliant.

Of couse, recruiters withhold company names because they're scared you'll go
straight to the company and they won't get paid.

Therefore, you should add something to the letter like "I understand you have
to make money. So my pledge to you is this: Unless I have a pre-existing
relationship with the company, I promise not to go straight to them without
giving you due credit."

That's a fair agreement.

------
dotBen
Ok but this isn't my biggest peeve with recruiters.

My biggest peeve is when they ask me to refer them potential candidates -
either specifically ( _"can you intro me to <person x>"_) or generally ( _"do
you know anyone that would fit <role>?"_).

Trouble is that if they are successful with the hire that could be worth $25k+
(25% of salary a good annual salary).

Sorry, but to ask me to do that without offering to split the fee with me is
to make a chump out of me. No one has ever handed me $25k on a plate.

~~~
wccrawford
Plus, I know enough job openings myself to refer people directly. I certainly
wouldn't send my friend's name to a recruiter that I don't even know!

------
joshu
The whole process sucks. We are trying to hire for our small startup and we
have a few different recruiters. They seem to just send us random bodies off
LinkedIn - nobody particularly stellar, much less demanding of the 25% annual
salary as commission. It's unreal.

Someone needs to reinvent this market.

~~~
akronim
I'm surprised you have to go via recruiters? I would have thought you have
enough of a name that you would get applications (if you made enough noise
about hiring). Maybe having a tweet or blog post in the last 6 months saying
you're hiring might be cheaper than 25% :)

~~~
nradov
Why did you agree to 25%? Standard contingency fee is 20%. For multiple
openings you can negotiate less.

~~~
joshu
I was approximating. Maybe it is 20%...

------
jakelear
I totally agree. When recently searching for jobs, I found so much value in
being able to investigate the company and the opportunity. However, I can
understand the recruiter point of view: Many recruiters who are cold calling
from recruiting firms make their money only if they are directly responsible
for the placement.

It's an unfortunate side effect that it is risky for the recruiter to drop the
name of the company, because the potential candidate could then bypass the
recruiter, and consequently, the recruiter loses that placement commission.

------
byrneseyeview
Former recruiter here: recruiters get paid based on the fact that they
submitted the candidate first. They _do not get paid_ if the candidate came to
them previous. I once got someone multiple rounds of interviews at a hedge
fund, only to find out that he'd applied and been rejected three months
earlier (apparently luck plus a good cover letter radically improves your
odds).

The recruiting fee on a software developer is likely to be $20K+. Half or so
would be the recruiter's bonus.

How often do you put a stranger in a position where he or she can casually
cost you $10,000 with no repercussions?

I can totally understand where the average developer is coming from, here. But
most recruiters run the numbers and decide they'd rather work with the folks
who don't need to know the company name. There's room for people who do both,
but the behavior this letter decries is normal for a reason.

~~~
puls
Are developers so dishonest that, when asked if they were contacted by a
recruiter, they'll say no?

~~~
wccrawford
Developers are people. So yeah, some of them are that dishonest. Especially
when desperate and in need of work.

------
a3_nm
<http://www.thanksno.com/>, which inspired this service, is intriguing. "I
can't bring myself to tell you, so I'll use this webpage to tell you instead"?
I'm not saying it does not make sense, just that it's a bit funny when you
think of it.

------
puls
By the way, if anybody has any suggestions for improvements, I'm all ears. I
mean, not in a literal sense, but you know.

~~~
megamark16
I just wish they'd stop calling me at work, that's just rude. My email address
is on my website, for crying out loud!

------
aaronbrethorst
You forgot:

"Sure, I'll be happy to recommend friends who know how to write iOS apps to
you...if you give me a cut of your take."

------
SonicSoul
i would add a link to this book <http://goo.gl/w6BQp> by Joel Spolsky. it
gives great insight into what makes developers tick. Recruiters would benefit
greatly from understanding that good developers are rare, and in high demand,
and they are not going to respond to your email just because you've named some
technologies that they've worked with.

Most job descriptions make no effort in enticing good talent. it's the here-
is-what-you-MUST-know laundry list along with vague generic write up on the
company. And most recruiters just forward this garbage to everyone on their
list that somewhat matches the skill set.

------
radley
I always tell them to check the local user group(s). Great range of talent and
willing to hear a one min pitch.

Talented people network for themselves. They know the shops, the recruiters,
the heavies, and up-and-coming...

------
suyash
Developers need company name and salary range offerred for that position.

