Ask A Recruiter - Tech

A question I ask myself every few months: “If I met the current version of me at a party, would I be intrigued?”

Sometimes I realize I’ve become a bit too cautious. Sometimes I surprise myself. What do… more

In the holiday spirit - what is everyone spending their bonus on this year?

I’m fascinated by how often our early-career survival skills become liabilities later.

Being hyper-responsible, answering Slacks immediately, over-delivering on everything… it works, until it doesn’t.

W… more

Something I don’t think we talk about enough: how emotionally exhausting “being strategic” can be. Influence without authority, managing stakeholder egos, reading between the lines of vague feedback..… more

If you had to pick one interview strength to carry you through every job search—what would it be? Magnetic presence, hyper-detailed prep, unshakable calm, etc

Drop your superpower (or the one you’re wo… more

One thing I notice in tech interviews, silence makes candidates nervous. Sometimes interviewers are just thinking, not judging. I’ve seen people talk themselves out of great answers trying to fill the… more

I once placed a candidate who followed up after every round with thoughtful notes. Not long, not pushy, just genuine. It made them memorable in a crowded pipeline. Do you usually follow up after inter… more

What’s one habit you had at a previous company that you had to unlearn at a new one (like how you follow up, how direct you are, how you push back on managers)? This is something that I see a lot in s… more

As a recruiter, how do you determine “culture fit” - does that just mean you don’t like them? Or are there actual culture fit metrics?

I’ve referred candidates who skipped the referral step because they “didn’t want to bother anyone”. Ironically, referrals are often the fastest way to get noticed. Asking for help is not a weakness in tech … more

If AI can screen CVs, rank candidates, and draft outreach messages, which parts of your job do you believe are fundamentally not automatable? Do you think your role will evolve into something differen… more

Do companies hire over the Christmas break? I am wondering if I should stop applying from now until the start of the year. Would you keep on applying even though their seems to a break before the end … more

I’ve had candidates ask if it’s okay to turn off cameras during interviews because they’re exhausted. Honestly, I respect the honesty. Burnout is very real in tech right now. How do you show up to int… more

I once got rejected from a role because I didn’t check one of the “preferred” boxes… 2 months later, I found out the person they hired had even less experience than me.

How often are hiring managers really s… more

When a candidate takes a “step back” in title to move into a new tech stack or domain, does that hurt their long-term trajectory in your eyes, or can it actually speed up growth later?

How do you view candidates who’ve been “stuck” at mid-level for 4–5 years despite solid performance reviews.. does that read as loyalty or lack of ambition? I plan to look for a new job in 2026, but t… more

I got put on a PIP and then of course, got laid off. Would recruiters appreciate me being honest about this or should I save myself the judgment and just say I quit because I wanted a different workin… more

Recruiters, how different is the job landscape in tech looking in your eyes? I imagine that with all these layoffs and new requirements coming in, the roles are looking severely different. Can you giv… more

Serious question for tech recruiters, are all those flashy job postings actually meant to be filled? Some look like ads: big pay, perks, boosted visibility… and yet they stay open forever. Is it legit… more

Usually corporate jobs give you maternal leave if u stay with them for a year. So if I get a job December 2026 and have my baby January 2028 would I get maternal leave?

I’ve heard that hiring managers often pick between 2–3 top candidates and then trust their gut.
Is that actually true? And if so, what tends to tip the scales when all else is equal—vibe, responsivenes… more

Have you actually hired anyone in the AI space who delivered something you're currently using and consider a success? I see so many AI-related projects fail in my company. I wonder if anyone has s… more

Recruiters what is the most unique way a person has been able to get your attention? I feel like I’m drowning in the sea of thousands of applicants. I’m willing to be unique

Can recruiters help people land internships? Most internships I'm applying to are from job boards, and being one of the 10,000+ applicants doesn't feel very promising in terms of actually land… more

I used to think counteroffers were always a bad idea. Then I saw someone accept one and actually get a role they wanted internally. Sometimes staying can be growth too. Would you ever accept a counter… more

Just had to fire someone who has only been with the company for 2 weeks. He was a contractor and was not picking things up fast enough. How can I prevent this moving forward? I made sure to be clear w… more

Noticing a pattern lately: Friends in the 150–200K comp range who’ve been laid off are really struggling to get even recruiter replies… but folks in the 90–120K band are landing roles much faster.
Recr… more

What’s one outdated piece of job-seeking advice you wish candidates would stop following? Like... the whole “never apply on the company site” or “keep your resume to one page” thing. What else are we … more

I used to think companies brought in consultants only for short-term projects, but I see teams using them because the needed skills just aren’t part of the company. How do you decide when it’s smarter… more

If you could ask a recruiter one honest, unfiltered question about hiring, what would it be?
I’ve spent years on both sides of the interview table, and the gap in expectations still surprises me.
Candidates want cl… more

I am at a point where I’m wondering if I maximized what I should have by now or if my career path just got capped by staying too long in orgs that don’t reward impact.

Is this a quietly high-impact career stuck in… more

Any suggestions on a coach for interviews and finding a job? I think I might need to invest in a coach to help me out. Has anyone used one before? Is it worth it?

Why do you think we continue to see weak or unclear job reports in the U.S. economy, and what factors—economic, political, or structural; might explain why government leaders have not addressed this i… more

A recruiter once coached me more than they interviewed me. At the time, I didn’t get the job, but I got better because of that conversation. It changed how I see the hiring process. Has anyone ever he… more

I’ve always wondered what happens behind closed doors when a hiring committee reviews a candidate. Where do disagreements usually pop up: skills, attitude or expectations? Or maybe it is mostly about … more

Quick one: If a recruiter sees “6 months” at 3 different companies, what’s the default assumption?
Curious how much of a story we need to explain that kind of job hopping. Is it automatically a red fla… more

I’m coming from a SaaS SDR role, hoping to transition into a product marketing position. I don't think the constant stress of being an SDR is for my temperament. I don't know if I'm overth… more

When recruiters say a tech company has a ‘strong sales culture,’ what does that usually mean? I’ve had both great and toxic experiences and want to be better at being able to read between the lines.

How do recruiters feel when candidates ask directly for job at networking events? Is that frowned upon?

I’ve noticed people apologize a lot in interviews for not knowing something. I used to do that too. Now I see that saying “I haven’t worked with that yet, but here’s how I’d learn it” lands much bette… more