Ask A Recruiter - Tech

I applied for an Infrastructure Manager role, passed the recruiter screen and completed the assessment. Recruiter said she’d let me know Friday if I was moving to the next round. Friday came and went… more

On Monday I am presenting for a promotion to a panel. I know the entire panel. I have to essentially brag about my accomplishments which makes me feel so uncomfortable. What can I do to feel more conf… more

My manager changed jobs and now they are interviewing for my new manager. I get to interview the final candidates. What are some good questions to ask a potential boss?

How do you feel about candidates who are very open about interviewing with multiple companies and timelines? I don't know if the honesty is unnecessary or appreciated/helps move the needle more.

When looking at a new position with a new company, I find it interesting that people focus a lot on salary but rarely spend time on the bonuses and RSU. Sometimes the bonuses and profit sharing can be… more

What is too short of a time at a company that raises a red flag to recruiters? I’ve been at a company for 4 months and it is not a good fit.

I’m graduating this spring but i’m having a really hard time finding a job. Do companies accept interns for their internship program of people who just graduated?

What’s the best tool or aid to build a resume these days? Is there an AI app that people are using to make their resume stand out?

What are the green flags you see in candidates that make you think, “this person will be great to work with” beyond just their skills? Is it how they follow up, how they talk about past teams, or how … more

Given the last couple years, it feels irresponsible not to ask about runway, org stability, and team history. How can someone bring this up in a final round or offer call without sounding paranoid?

How do you politely tell a CEO that their "required" tech stack for a new role literally doesn't exist in one human? It's frustrating what kind of demands are placed on humans now js… more

I think it is so unfair that new /external hires make way more than if you stay and get promoted. I have zero incentive to stay at a company. I just found out an external hire who is my peer but less … more

Hoping there are campus recruiters here who can talk to this. Is it just me, or are Gen Z tech candidates significantly better at negotiating their first salary than we were? I have about 3 entry-leve… more

During one conversation a recruiter mentioned that hiring managers often struggle to clearly define what they want at the start. That surprised me a bit. How often do job requirements evolve while the… more

I have noticed lately that the jobs that are within my interests seems to be getting smaller. Do you feel that whatever industry you are in, that it no longer growing anymore?

Why does every developer think they are 'senior' after finishing a six-month coding bootcamp? Shoot in the comments if you've figured out a way to let them know it takes way more than with… more

What are the changes you notice when you interview off-shore vs local? Do you actually see a different quality in candidates or is it just a thing some people say?

A candidate once told me she didn't want to seem greedy, so she accepted the first offer. She left $10K on the table. I know because I saw the approved band.
First offers are almost never the ceiling. They'… more

I’m currently going through a bunch of technical interviews for software roles, and live coding is the part I’m most nervous about. I’ve heard too many stories of people completely freezing and narrat… more

In one interview, I was asked what kind of manager I work best with. I had never really thought about it before.

It made me realize something. Team dynamics can matter just as much as the job itself.

Cu… more

I'm worried that during interviews I come up as not convincing. What are turn-offs for you interviewers that are not always considered by candidates? I feel like I have experience that is relevant… more

During one recruiter call I was asked what kind of problems I enjoy solving most. That question stuck with me because it shifted the conversation away from titles and toward motivation. Do recruiters … more

What is a good way of getting your resume reviewed by a real person? I tried using GPT, but I think it does not catch the subtle details that are needed for this job. Have you ever tried professional … more

I’ve noticed that some recruiters focus heavily on past achievements while others focus more on current skills. As a candidate it’s hard to know what angle to emphasize. What tends to stand out most d… more

I just did a quick phone screen for a new role and the recruiter couldn’t have cared less. It felt like they were multi- tasking. I know they are doing their best but when I’m dying to get a job, it w… more

With the current job market, would you recommend to transfer internally or look for opportunities externally if I want to switch my role . Right now I work at TikTok. I like the company but just disli… more

For those particularly in big tech or located in tech cities like NYC or sf, what's your opinion of people applying from gov related roles or from out of state? Trying to relocate to one of these … more

Hey guys! I'm planning to switch from employee to freelance by the end of this year, what differences are there when it comes to interview style and what companies ask you? Thank you in advance!

I need to know how recruiters view this. If you see 'AI expert' on a resume from someone with only one year of experience, do you automatically assume it's just fluff written up to improve… more

I was at an interview recently where, for every question I asked, she responded with, “What do you think that would be?”
That made me feel confused and nervous, and I couldn’t give my best answers for the re… more

How can I make my project management experience in construction sound relevant for a Tech PM role? I know the skills transfer, but I’m struggling to get past the automated resume filters.

I have a brother in law who is in college. My team is hiring a bunch of interns for the summer that I think he would be a great fit for. How do I approach this with the hiring manager? I want to refer… more

In all applications we have to select race and gender. Does that go into consideration during hiring? I feel like that would be a selection to make once you’re hired….

Something I’ve noticed: two candidates can give equally strong answers, but one “feels” more convincing. I’m trying to understand what creates that difference. Is it clarity, confidence, storytelling,… more

Sometimes candidates think applying to hundreds of jobs increases their chances, but recruiters often notice tailored applications more. Quality over quantity can make a real difference. Do you custom… more

I once interviewed for a role where the recruiter gave advice on how to prepare for the technical round. That was surprisingly helpful and made the process feel more collaborative. Do recruiters usual… more

I was chatting with our Cloud Ops lead about our latest AWS bill, and the shift from training costs to "inference costs" is staggering. We’re now hiring specifically for engineers who understand how to … more

Feeling impostor syndrome today. Reading about people using 6 claude code instances at once, I can barely use 2. How can they focus at all on what they are doing and check the outcomes? Would you ever… more

When you’re interviewing, how much do you optimize for getting an offer versus getting the right offer? I’ve noticed those can be very different strategies depending on your situation.

For people who’ve hired before — have you ever had a candidate who didn’t interview particularly well but you still pushed to hire them? What made you trust your gut in that situation?