Recruiting In Yoga Pants

Dressing up is for suckers

Category: networking

RECRUITER OUTREACH! Hey Recruiters! How’s YOUR Messaging?

May 26, 2023 /

Ok I’ll admit it. I’m guilting of SENDING this tired old message: 

“I came across your profile and was very impressed with your background! I’d love to talk to you about opportunities!”

Ugh. How embarrassing.

Here’s the thing recruiters. When we’re initiating contact, we have a responsibility for making the message worth responding to. Of course not all messages deserve (or will get) a response, and that’s ok! But we still need to at least put some effort in. 

The biggest challenge for many recruiters is balancing PERSONALIZATION with VOLUME. This is hard! I get it’s not always possible to spend tons of time on every single individual message. However, candidates don’t care about your volume problems. They care about getting messages meant for them that are worth replying to.

Instead of preaching at you about this, I’m going to tell you exactly how I do it.

Campaigns!

I actually do like automation when done correctly. I have a CRM that I can create “campaigns” in, meaning I can select candidates and start an email drip campaign. I can just set it and forget it, until I get a response – which then turns into a personalized recruiting process. I do it like this:

Start with a specific role

I don’t randomly reach out to people for coffee chats or just to hop on a call. I have stuff to do – most importantly, fill these damn reqs! If you’re getting an email from me, it’s because I think you might be a good fit for one of my open positions. By having a clear target, I can also share important stuff like compensation, location, and what makes the role cool (check out my pal Nic’s excellent post on this topic!)

So I have my list of folks I think might be good, and I will do small batches – maybe 10 at a time – so I can tweak the email to personalize a bit (who wants the same generic email EVERYBODY got? Boring!!) My first email goes something like this:

“Hi (prospect),

Amy from (Company), reaching out for the nefarious purposes of stealing you from your current job and convincing you to come do (cool stuff) here! I checked out your (resume, profile, blog, whatever) and thought there might be a fit based on (specific thing).

I don’t want to assume you’d be open to a change, but in case my timing is right, here’s a link to the role and (something cool, compensation, etc). You can learn more about (company, team, project) here (include link, articles, whatever).

Most importantly, I’d love to learn more about what kind of work lights you up, in case I have other positions now or in the future that might be worth talking about.  

You can reach me any time at (contact info) or feel free to book something directly at (calendar link). I look forward to connecting with you!

Me“

My goal here is to give enough information to actually act on, but also keep it short enough with a clear call to action that prospects can respond quickly if they want.

2nd Outreach

Ok maybe that wasn’t exciting enough for you. Or you missed it. Or just didn’t want to respond. Some candidates have actually told me they purposely wait for a 2nd or even 3rd email to make sure the recruiter is serious!! WHO KNEW?? So if the first email doesn’t get a response, number 2 goes something like this:

“Hi (prospect),

Hey there, following up on my email last week. I’d love to chat with you about a position I’m recruiting for – here’s the info (add job posting link, data included in first email) I sent – I’d love your feedback on it even if my timing is off!

We recently announced/shared (something cool), you can read about that here (include link or articles, depending on what you’re sharing)

If you’re open to hearing more, would love to connect live! You can reach me at (contact info) or book time whenever is convenient at (calendar link).

Thanks,

Me“

My goal here is to simply send a friendly reminder with an extra tidbit that may help convince someone to talk to me – or at least tell me no thanks. I’ll accept closure!

3rd & Final Outreach

Ok this is where I lose some recruiters. I am personally not interested in harassing people. I will send 3 emails, and if I get nothing back, I can take a hint. I have other prospects to move on to and I am not interested in wasting my time nor do I want to bug a prospect! It goes a little something like this:

Hey (prospect),

Just closing the loop with you. We’re still looking to hire for (role), but totally understand if my timing is off or the role just isn’t right for you at this stage of your career. If anything changes on your end please get in touch! If you know anyone in your network who might be interested in hearing about the role, please feel free to forward my info and I’m happy to share more!

Thanks for letting me invade your inbox – happy to connect in the future if you’re open.

Me”

I have a roughly 80% response rate to the 3rd email. That’s damn good for cold recruiter outreach.

I know some folks may think this is boring, or too focused on the role, but here’s my thought process. I’m trying to RECRUIT someone. They know it, I know it, why would I pretend this is anything but an attempt to get them in process with my company? Secondly, these are TEMPLATES – I fully expect anyone who wants to try this method to spice up their messages. My ACTUAL messages are a little funnier and include some cool stuff not shared here – give yourself permission to get creative!

Check out this week’s video HERE

RECRUITER OUTREACH! How Candidates Can Respond (without losing your mind)

May 19, 2023 /

We’ve all seen this tired old message:

“I came across your profile and was very impressed with your background! I’d love to talk to you about opportunities!”

Honestly y’all I catch MYSELF typing that some days and I immediately send myself to time out to think about what I’ve done.

Terrible. Terrible opener and I hate myself for sometimes starting with it.

Alrighty now that we have THAT covered, let’s get real. Some messages are going to be GREAT. Highly targeted, full of useful insights, and a clear call to action. Others, not so much – and it’s hard for job seekers to know which ones deserve a response!

Pro tip – not every message deserves a response.

The key takeaway here is deciding how much emotional energy you’re willing to invest in this conversation. Make no mistake job seekers – even subconsciously you’re investing! Taking the time to read the message. Considering your response. Picturing yourself interviewing. How life changing the role could be if you get an offer…. you know the feeling.

I want you to give yourself permission to NOT attend every conversation you’re invited to. Well intentioned recruiters may try to convince you that you should take EVERY call (especially THEIRS!) in the name of networking. To that, I say hell no. Protect your time, space, and energy. You’re going to need it for the REAL opportunities coming your way!

If the message gives you the necessary info (job description, compensation, location, etc) AND you’re interested, it’s perfectly ok to say so! If there’s not enough detail or you’re simply unsure how to respond? Here’s some templates you can use as a starting point to continuing the conversation.

Interested / open to work

Ideally, the message includes a clear call to action. It’s ok to simply acknowledge that and follow whatever guidance has been provided. If the message is not that clear, try something like this:

“Hi (Recruiter),

Thanks so much for reaching out! I am excited to learn more about (company) and (role). As an experienced (title), I’m actively searching for a role where I can (work you love). I’m open to (locations, titles, any relevant role related insights) with a target compensation of ($X).

I’m available for a call/interviews (availability). I look forward to connecting with you!

You“

Not interested but could be convinced

“Hi (Recruiter),

Thanks for reaching out. I’m not actively looking, but open to hearing about opportunities that may be significantly better than what I’m doing today. I’m currently a (title) where I (overview of work). I would be open to roles were I can (dream scope) in (location, hybrid, remote). In order to seriously consider a change, I would be looking for at least $X in total compensation.

If you have roles that align, I’d be happy to schedule a chat to learn more. Please send over more information about (job description, company, compensation) and I’ll get back to you right away.

Thanks,

You“

These templates are meant to be edited to reflect our own personal voice, wishlists, and expectations. It is critical that you understand your own job search boundaries. Many job seekers fall into the “all do anything!” trap and the reality is that can cause more harm than good. If you don’t have a target, how can you know where to aim? Take the time to really think about what you’re good at, where you could exchange that labor for money, and what that compensation needs to be to make sense for you. Don’t be afraid to take control of the conversation! You deserve nothing less.

Check out this week’s video HERE

What Does Your Social Media Content Say About You?

April 7, 2023 /

This might sting a little.

Now I say this as someone who is pretty darn transparent on social media… I’m far from the example anyone should be following! That said – I am a recruiter, and I read profiles for a living (along with some other stuff 😉 ) So what is an active job seeker to do? Now this is not your profile – we have another video about that you can check out HERE. We’re talking about posts, comments, and engagement.

Get ready for some very loving truth bombs…

Truth Bomb #1 – Your posts are incredibly vague

You’ve seen them – “don’t ignore my post!” or “I need a job!” Well, yes. I believe those things are true. Unfortunately a lot of those posts don’t say much else. They often lack context or a clear call to action – so what’s a reader to do? Unfortunately a lot of readers will make comments like “you got this!” or the dreaded “commenting for reach!” but seriously…. does that actually get you anywhere?

Truth Bomb #2 – your post is about YOU, not how you solve THEIR problem

This one sucks. I want you to think about this though – there’s a difference between “I need” and “I can do”. One is self-serving, the other is value adding to the audience. The reality is a stranger on the internet doesn’t care if you’re about to be homeless. YOU care, hence your content asking for help. The readers of your content? Not so much. They have their own wishes/needs/agenda, and if you speak to that, you’re way ahead of your competition. Instead of “I need a job” try “I am excited to land my next role where I can provide X by doing Y” or something to that effect.

Truth Bomb #3 – you need a talent shaped box

Another tough one – so many folks are hesitant to get too specific. If I post about how great of a recruiter I am, and that I’m really good at sourcing engineers, no one will consider me for a marketing gig! Well… that may be true… but are you QUALIFIED for a marketing gig? It’s absolutely ok to consider a career change – and your content should speak to that. The reality is the more targeted and specific your pitch is, the more likely it’ll get noticed by the right people!

The goal is to create a mental picture of how you can solve someone’s problem. Companies hire people to DO things. Buy, sell, build, consult, influence, direct, manager, manufacture… you name it. Show you can do that thing, and watch your engagement go up.

Check out the video HERE.

How To Request An Informational Interview!

December 9, 2022 /

Basically, networking. But networking with AN AGENDA!! My favorite kind!

So how do you do that exactly? Easy – four simple steps:

  1. Set Your Intentions! This is critical at the beginning of ANY job search but before you start asking people for help, make sure you know WHAT it is you want help with! Are you trying to pivot to a new industry? Relocate to a new area? Pick up a new skill? Now that you have an “ask” – put it out there! This can be a LinkedIn post, a tweet, wherever the people you want to reach are hanging out.
  2. Engage with experts! Once you make your request, folks will either start sharing THEIR expertise or recommend names for you to follow. GO DO THAT. Follow, connect, comment, share… Learn everything you can from what’s already available and what folks you’re being introduced to can offer you. You’ll probably find that many of your questions are already answered in existing content.
  3. Send targeted 1:1 requests! This does not HAVE to be a 15 minute “can I pick your brain” call. It can be a carefully written email asking for 3 specific things – make it easy to respond! If I know EXACTLY what you want, I can almost always pretty quickly write a response or drop a link that answers your questions.
  4. Show gratitude. That’s it. Lots of coaches and “experts” will claim that you MUST “build a relationship” or “show your value” before asking for anything in return. I don’t think so! Again, you’re seeking to learn something from folks who know what you don’t. It’s perfectly ok to not have anything to offer – yet. Simply showing gratitude and promising to pay it forward is all the thanks a lot of folks need (or expect).

Here’s a template you can use when you’re ready to hit step 3:

Hi (Name),

We recently connected/(name) recommended you as someone to talk with about (industry or topic). I am (quick intro) hoping to learn more about (topic).

I’m hoping you can give me some guidance on (bullet points).

If there is anyone else in your network you recommend I follow or other resources I should check into, I would be grateful! Thanks in advance for your guidance!

Me

Let’s say someone like me wanted to pivot to career coaching (bwhahahahaha wouldn’t that piss some people off). I’d write something like this, to coaches I admire or have been referred to me:

Hi (name),

We haven’t met, but your name came up in a conversation about coaching and I would love to understand a bit more about your industry. I’m a tenured recruiter in the Seattle market mostly focused on tech, and I am interested in exploring full time coaching. I recently read (something they shared/wrote) and was intrigued by (takeaway). Specifically, I’d love to learn more about:

  • recommended certifications / industry trainings
  • Workload balancing / how you structure your day
  • Business development / advertising of your services

I would welcome any other suggestions or topics you think I should research. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this! Hope to hear from you soon.

Best,

Amy

Easy peasy! Not every informational HAS to be a phone call or video chat. You’re requesting information. That’s it. That’s the purpose of the informational!

Not try it for yourself and let me know how it goes!

Link to video HERE.

Networking With Recruiters! 2022 Amy’s Version

October 15, 2022 /

I wrote about this back in 2019 and hahahahaha OMG how things have changed since then.

You can read it here, if you’re curious.

So what’s changed Ames? Well, the SHEER VOLUME of requests I get. Every. Single. Day.

Simmer down haters. I know how y’all like to get confused about how recruiting works. Keep reading.

So let’s start with WHAT recruiters actually do anyway. We are hired by companies (internal or agency) to find, engage, and deliver qualified candidates. As such, our PRIMARY FOCUS is on engaging with people in our specific niche/line of business/talent populations. There are other business facing priorities, but let’s focus on the candidate/applicant/prospect side.

For many recruiters, our priorities are as follows:

  • Applicants (folks who applied directly to our open roles)
  • Employee Referrals
  • Sourced prospects

My personal policy and what I encourage my team to do, is to check the applicant buckets first thing every morning. Yes, some roles get hundreds of applicants, but rarely overnight. Even in those cases it’s still a good practice to quickly review/forward/disposition on a daily basis. Over the last few years direct applicants have been my personal best source of hire! Sourced candidates (found by me / my team) and formal employee referrals (via my company’s internal career site) round out our list.

OK Ames, we get it – but what about people who want to approach you?

Let me clear up one ridiculous misconception RIGHT NOW – I LOVE interested, qualified prospects sliding into my DMs. Love it. Absolutely love it. You think I dress up in silly costumes every week and come up with funny ways to bring attention to my open roles for the hell of it?

Y’all – I WANT people who could fit my roles to find me and talk to me.

Those folks are my SECOND priority, after direct qualified applicants. I try to quickly scan my various inboxes daily to make sure I’m not missing any hot prospects or urgent requests. I also share contact info for our entire recruiting team, which is the single best way (AFTER applying directly) to get in touch with us about roles we’re hiring for.

But what about everyone else? Job seekers need help!

Y’all have to understand that my day job is what allows me to create all the other content for folks I will never hire. That means my day job HAS to be my priority. I started this blog and later YouTube channel BECAUSE I was no longer able to keep up with all the one to one requests. I have no special skills. I was not born into privilege, nor was I handed any opportunity. I had to figure out the hard way what worked for me, how to network effectively, and what a proper job search strategy (FOR ME) looked like. My primary goal with this “side hustle” is to help the average, every day job seeker who does NOT have certain privileges navigate all this better. My content is FREE, no strings attached, and available to anyone who wants it.

I sincerely welcome any and all messages from anyone who wants to get in touch – I’m merely asking for a little grace and understanding if I can’t respond right away, or worse – completely miss your message and fail to respond at all. I will never – EVER – be mad that someone reached out to me.

Now there are SOME individuals who think I could provide more value by responding to hundreds of people every week with “sorry can’t help you” instead of “making videos every day”. (Once a week, sparky. I make videos once a week. Math is hard I know).

Now that we have a bit more CONTEXT, let’s dig into what job seekers CAN do to stand out and get helpful responses!

Get clear on your ask

If you just want to network or add someone to your LinkedIn connections, that’s totally ok! You can say that! Unfortunately I’m at the max LI allows, but I encourage folks to follow me to stay connected. Feel free to engage in comments, tag me in posts, I’m cool with that! If you want to DM me, please tell me EXACTLY what it is I can help with. If I see the message (and honestly, I get SO MANY I know I miss a bunch) I’ll do my best to answer quickly – even if it’s redirecting you back to a video or post I already made.

Do your homework!

I cannot stress this part enough – contacting the RIGHT recruiter(s) is such an important first step. Most of us are pretty good at highlighting our industries, the company we recruit for, and the kinds of roles we’re looking to fill. Simply targeting your message to the RIGHT kind of recruiter is already a game changer, and fairly low lift.

Connect with / Follow industry pros

So many job seekers default to RECRUITERS, which is fine! Most of us really do want to help and it’s like Christmas when qualified folks land in our inboxes. However, those messages can be accidentally missed in a sea of other requests. Don’t sleep on networking with fellow (insert title here) and their leaders! If I was looking for a new recruiting job, you better believe I’m hitting up RECRUITERS and recruiting MANAGERS at companies I want to work for.

OK Ames you’ve convinced me – now what do I SAY?

I got you! I’ve written targeted networking templates you can access HERE. These templates are intended to give you a framework you can personalize to your specific requests and target audience. I have lots of other content like Salary FAQs, Recruiting FAQs, all kinds of stuff to help you navigate this all more effectively. If you like videos, I’ve curated a whole playlist you might want to start with. – Job Seeker Survival Guide

To sum it up –

Friends, let me be vulnerable with you for a moment. While 90% or more of the reactions I get to my content is positive, I get my share of very loud haters. I’ve had people tag CEOs of three major tech companies (my employers) trying to get me fired. I’ve been insulted, threatened, and accused of all kinds of nefarious nonsense. I refuse to share my family on social media (rarely even pictures) because my KIDS have been targeted by strangers angry that I didn’t give them something they demanded of me.

There is NO profession – including recruiters – that deserves the vitriol certain folks lob our way. The fact that recruiters remain accessible after what we go through should be celebrated! I know my content (let alone my style) is not for everyone, and that is OK! My only ask is if you HAVE benefited from anything I’ve shared, please pay it forward. Share with your friends. I don’t want lifelong followers – my hope is that folks leverage my insights, get the role(s) they want and help the next group of job seekers.

I never want to shame anyone for seeking help. EVER. Asking for help is a sign strength, in my opinion. Recognizing your gaps, or where you need a lift, is a wonderful thing. I sincerely want to be that lift to as many people as I can, as effectively as possible.

Recruiters are human too – don’t forget that when asking us to put the HUMAN back in Human Resources.

P.S. – for the salty little potatoes in recruiting who think I owe literally every single person who contacts me a response – please leave your contact information below. I will add it to my auto-responder so that these folks can go to YOU for the direct, one on one assistance I am unable to provide. We thank you for your service. Alternatively, you can see if shutting up is right for you.

Unsuccessful Interview = Waste of Time?

September 30, 2022 /

This is a tough one y’all.

A lot of job seekers are understandably frustrated when they get rejected after an interview. The process can be absolutely grueling at many companies, and a lack of feedback (or God forbid – closure!) can feel like salt in the wound. Believe me, I get the urge to go straight to LinkedIn and fire off a post asking how Company had the actual audacity to interview me knowing they weren’t going to hire me. (Yes, we’ve all seen posts like this)

EXCEPT – the company likely did NOT know they were not going to hire you. That’s why they interviewed you. To figure all that out. Check out “What’s The Point Of An Interview Anyway” for more on that topic.

So what’s a job seeker to do? Even if we have the most positive outlook on this, being rejected still stings and doesn’t get us any closer to a regular paycheck. NOW WHAT?

Change your thinking.

We tend to look at interviews as a one time event that results in a clear yes or no. While this is technically true, what if I told you that you could use your interview as a networking opportunity? Think about it – whatever field you’re in, you’re likely going to interview with people who also do the same thing. If you’re an electrical engineer, I would be SHOCKED if you didn’t have at least one electrical engineer on your interview panel. This pretty much goes for almost any industry, don’t you think?

So here’s the specific next step I want you to take. Once the interview dust has settled, the decision is in, closure has been received, send a note. This will likely be a LinkedIn message or invite, unless you have specific contact info for folks you met (which frankly, is pretty rare). Try something like this:

Hi Interviewer,

Thanks so much for the time you spent interviewing me last month (or whenever) for the (Title) role. I was bummed to hear from (recruiter) that I wasn’t selected, but I really enjoyed getting to know everyone and would love to keep in touch for future opportunities.

I hope you’ll consider connecting, and I hope our paths will cross again in the future!

You

So why does this work?

Simple! You’re just making friends/connections with people in your industry. Now this isn’t an immediate fix or automatic re-consideration of your interview – it IS an opportunity to stay connected to someone who does similar work. That person may go work for a new company, and when asked “who do you know” by their new recruiting team (I promise you we do this) well – they know YOU!

The reality is this – we’re not going to overrule a hiring decision. While it would be WONDERFUL to get feedback, I want you to also keep in mind that feedback is highly subjective and only relevant to three things:

  • The Company
  • The Team
  • The Role

If you want to work for that company in a different capacity, it’s fine to ask if it makes sense to reapply, target different roles or different levels. Also find out if there’s a cooling off period (of course I have a video on that TOO). Beyond that, feedback about this specific interview may not be as actionable or constructive as you might hope. My failed interview at Meta did nothing to keep me from moving on to Google.

Now go make some new professional friends! You never know what doors they can open in the future.

How To Land Your Next Role In 5 Easy Steps

June 17, 2020 /

hahahahahaha.

 
Y’all I couldn’t even TYPE that title without laughing. As if it’s that simple. 
 
 
BUT WAIT! What if we COULD distill the process down to a reasonable, repeatable, 5 step process? Let’s discuss.
 
 
I actually DO believe we can create a simple roadmap for finding your next role. Here are the steps I came up with – let’s pick them apart down below.
 
 
  1. Determine the companies you’d like to explore / could see yourself working at
  2. Look at their open roles, apply to ones you clearly fit the qualifications for (caveat – employers have a responsibility for being clear and concise in their postings – I know this doesn’t always happen)
  3. Threefold networking – Recruiter/Peers/Leaders – more on that and how to get templates below
  4. In tandem, make sure your trusted network knows you’re open, what you’d like to do and what you’re good at – they may often recommend companies you may not have considered or that didn’t make the cut in step 1
  5. Rinse and repeat as needed
 
 
 
So why does this WORK? The key to all of this is QUALITY OVER QUANTITY. So many job seekers (and God love ya recruiters are lousy for this too) think that “if I just spam ENOUGH PEOPLE SOMEONE WILL RESPOND”. 
 
 
Oh nay nay. 
 
 
In step 1 we are carefully curating a list of companies we could see ourselves working at. There’s no magic number or criteria here. YOU decide who makes the list. Maybe it’s all of FAANG. Maybe it’s anywhere within a 10 minute commute. Could be 3 companies, could be 30. You decide. Although 30 you might want to break down into 3 separate efforts. 🙂 Check out my video on Dream Jobs HERE.
 
 
GREAT! You’ve got your list. On to step 2. Now check out their careers pages. Look for roles that light you up. Do they actually hire what you do? That’s a good place to start – once you’ve found a role (or maybe a few in HUGE companies) start working on those applications! The key here is to make sure your resume is well targeted to the job description and those pesky Basic Qualifications are clearly addressed. If you’ve already created your master resume and are targeting a handful of related roles, this should not take more than an hour or so. This is TIME WELL SPENT. The better targeted your profile and resume are to the needs of the role, the more likely it is a recruiter will contact you. That said, we’re not going to sit around and wait. WE ARE HUSTLERS AND READY TO MAKE SHIT HAPPEN!
 
 
So now we’re at step 3. NETWORKING. Yes applying is important – but that doesn’t mean you can’t use every means available to you to get noticed. Job seekers often default to contacting recruiters – which is a GREAT idea, if they’re the right ones. I wrote about networking with recruiters HERE. You can also email me with “NETWORKING”  in the subject line for updated templates and more guidance on how to reach out to recruiters, possible peers/colleagues, as well as potential hiring managers.
 
 
Whew! We can see the finish line. Now here’s the part where you call on your friends and family. If you’re open to a change, TELL PEOPLE! Your colleagues, neighbors, your kid’s t-ball coach, all these people know other people. Now this is not a license to spam everyone with your career problems, but if you know the guy across the street works for your dream company, hit him up at the next HOA meeting! It can be as simple as “hey I’m looking for my next career move and applied to a role at XYZ Firm. How do you like it there?” See where the conversation takes you. If neighbor guy is uncomfortable, he’ll change the subject pretty quickly. Let it go. OR – he could be like most decent humans and tell you all about it. Maybe even offer to refer you! Employee referrals are fantastic when done right. I actually landed my current DREAM JOB after grabbing a glass of wine at happy hour with one of my girlfriends. She works for a company I had actually avoided for years. I’d interviewed a couple of times but didn’t have the best experience previously. While hearing about how much she LOVED her job I knew I had to at least throw my hat in the ring. Nearly 6 months later I’m the happiest I’ve ever been career wise! Take the shot.
 
 
Ok Amy I did all that and I STILL don’t have a job!! NOW WHAT? Well, do it again. That’s step 5. You may run through this exercise a few times before you get THE call. This is why it’s so important to start with a (very) short list – give your resume and application (and networking emails and outreach) the right attention up front. You can do it again with the next few companies. And the next. And the next. I’m not asking you to limit the number of applications or outreaches – I’m asking you to do it strategically, methodically, and with the other person in mind. No spam. 
 
 
This FEELS like a no-brainer to me, but somehow seems to really piss off the so-called experts. You’ll recognize them by their constant shouting about how “the process is BROKEN” and telling you to stay away from people like me. They may also be selling something and are often found hollering at me in the comment sections of everything I say or do on social media. 😉 There is no one size fits all foolproof solution. The minute I try to create that, some fool will come along and prove me wrong. Look, this is YOUR career – you decide where you’re going and how you’ll get there – I just happen to think I’ve got a pretty reasonable map. 
 
 
 

How To Land Your Dream Job In 1,472 Easy Steps

May 8, 2020 /

I get asked a LOT how I got into Big Tech. If you’ve been following me for a hot minute, you know I’ve been recruiting since the dark ages and in tech for a while now too. I’ve been there, done that, got several t-shirts.

Still, when people ask me “how did you end up in THAT job?” – the answer isn’t terribly exciting, helpful, or that interesting. Simply put, I hustled. I mean I worked my ASS OFF to learn my industry. I made friends. I asked questions. I begged people to mentor me. I EARNED IT.

It took a long time.

Let’s go aaaaaallllll the way back to my childhood. I was a dirt poor little girl in the literal middle of the country. I was an only child (until my brother came along when I was 12). I didn’t know my dad then. My mom worked 2-3 jobs at a time to keep me in a single pair of shoes I was not allowed to wear except to school and church – to keep them nice. We couldn’t afford a second pair. I was the poorest kid I knew growing up (maybe others just hid it well, I don’t know). I had dreams of maybe someday renting my VERY OWN trailer with the money I’d make working at Walmart (one of our town’s biggest employers). I sometimes fantasized about living in France. I didn’t really believe it would ever be possible.  Technology was something for “fancy people” and only rich kids went to college. Amazon and Google weren’t even invented yet when I was growing up. Microsoft was in it’s infancy.

I’ve worked for all three since then.

I married too young (as one does when they don’t know they have other options). I had kids early (because I was married and that’s what you do). I found myself alone on the other side of the country, getting divorced at the tender age of 24 with two kids under 5. I had been working as a temp, finally bulldozing my way into a role in the advertising department for a global staffing agency. I was making $10 an hour and struggling to make ends meet.

My rep from the Employment Guide (remember when we used to PRINT ads? good times) told me I’d be a great recruiter. I didn’t even know what a recruiter WAS, but found out pretty quickly they can make a lot of money. I jumped in with both feet. I did not make a lot of money. At first. That came later.

You may be wondering why I’m telling you all this. I need you to understand – no one invited me to this party. I wasn’t supposed to have this career. I never went to college (oh some CC classes, but that was in the 90s! And I’m pretty sure I got a D in English anyway).  All I really had going for me was determination and a refusal to give up. EVER. I didn’t even know what I wanted to be when I grew up. Just… not poor. 

How did I get into my dream job(s) at such amazing companies? For me, it’s really simple. I found what I love to do. I am OBSESSED with recruiting. I love it. I love everything about it, even the bad stuff. It’s a CRAFT, a SERVICE, an amazing peek into the human psyche and understanding why people do what they do. It’s solving really big, complex business problems by just making connections. Every single day, I am living my dream.

I know you’re still asking – BUT HOW DID YOU GET HERE! Why did Microsoft hire me? Then Google? Finally Amazon? I could tell you all about the networking I did. Tirelessly applying to role after role. Attending Chamber of Commerce mixers trying to meet people “in the biz”. Dressing up in my polyester knock off suits trying to impress people who terrified me. I could tell you all that, but it really doesn’t matter. Because everyone’s journey is different and there are no secret handshakes.

Your path is going to look very different. The things that worked for me may not work for you, and that’s ok. You may end up at Google right out of college, and I’ll be just as proud of you as I am the weary single dad who taught himself to code at night after the kids went to bed. 

We all start somewhere. Some of us are a lot further back from the finish line than others. Some are running a completely different race, and that is ABSOLUTELY OK! YOU determine YOUR dream. Don’t let anyone stop you. No matter where you start.
Baby Recruiter 🙂 1976

There’s a sucker born every minute. Some go into recruiting.

October 5, 2019 /

1997. I was attending a vocational school night classes in Lacey, WA (since bankrupt) in an attempt to learn how to type and be a receptionist. I had two little babies at home and I knew I need to get some training and make some money. Natalie (I can’t remember her last name) was the branch manager of our local Office Team. She came to speak with all of us students about “temping”, why we should consider signing up with Office Team after our training and we knew how to answer phones and file documents. She stood there in her branch manager suit, all polished and professional, and I knew in that moment – I wanted to be Natalie when I grew up.

So began my path to recruiting.

I signed to be a temp for Office Team, and spent several weeks covering the front desk while their receptionist was on parental leave. When I was offered a role as a Staffing Manager, I couldn’t run away fast enough. All the Staffing Managers I worked with went home crying every day – no way in hell I was signing up for that. Fast forward a few more months and I somehow networked my way into a recruiting gig for a local boutique firm hiring truck drivers. Thus began my recruiting career.

Twenty years later, I’m living the good life as a senior recruiter for a well known tech brand. I’ve learned SO much over the years, the most important lesson is that I’m actually really good at this. I often joke that I’ve been in recruiting so long that I literally cannot do anything else. Probably true, but besides the point.

In all my years I’ve seen disruptive new models come and go. There was the company that offered to pay you to speak to recruiters (it’s ok they’re working on a relaunch). The latest is a firm that is going to do some cool stuff with blockchain and prepaid visas. I listened to the amazing Chad and Cheese Podcast about this today and there was a reference to “Equifax for Resumes” which frankly freaked me the hell out.

Am I in a Black Mirror episode??

Y’all can read the posts and listen to the podcasts yourselves, but let me just say this – ALL of this seems to hinge on the willingness of job seekers to be, well, seeking a job. There’s also apparently a claim that the 5% fee received by the JOB SEEKER is enough for a so called passive individual to make a change. There’s also some discussion about how staffing agencies can actual leverage this tool – which is FASCINATING since the early premise seemed to be that staffing agencies suck or something (my words not theirs, simmer down internet folk).

Alrighty. All that, leading up to THIS – Turn Recruitment Into a Second Income.

leo dicaprio GIF

I’m CRYING, y’all.

So the basic premise (maybe?) is that you can do this really hard work on the side and by leveraging the fine folks behind this shiny new tool, make some side money. After all, You go and get a job requirement from a company, agree to your terms with them at a 20% fee.

That’s all! Just go get a job requirement. From a company. Get them to agree to your terms at 20% fee.

Easy peasy.

Sure, working with this outfit reduces your fee, but they also remove all the risk and challenges recruiters face and skip right to the money making part (absolutely THEIR words this time, y’all. You can’t make this shit up).

I gotta tell you my emotions are all over the place with this. I went from being mildly amused to pissed off to confused and now am squarely in the sit back and pop some popcorn camp. I think recruiting is BIG ENOUGH for all kinds of people to try all sorts of neat things and make great money doing it. What I DON’T like is anyone reducing my hard work to a simple transaction.

In a phrase, F*CK OFF.

I work REALLY hard to engage people who otherwise wouldn’t consider a job change. I consult all the time with managers, convincing them to take chances on people who may not look “right” on paper.  I constantly peel back the layers to understand the emotional currency of my candidates, and try to help them navigate the really hard, complex interview process at my company. I GIVE A SHIT about my clients and candidates. I did at my last several companies. I’ll do it again at the next one.

If you think you can distill all that hard emotional heavy lifting into signing up for a f*cking job board you don’t know recruitment.

Now – if your premise (which is what I took away from the podcast) is that you’re a supplement to recruiting firms / TA teams, that’s cool. But that’s not your premise, right…? You LITERALLY POSTED that recruiting is basically driving around and picking people up in your car.

To the founders, executives, writers, anyone involved that wants to discuss – let’s do it. Amy@recruitinginyogapants.com. I’m open to a conversation – I’ll give you my personal cell phone and we can talk all about it. We could even meet on the Recruiting Animal Show. Let’s talk about how I can make great money with no qualification. Surely you didn’t mean it to come across the way it did…

Right?

How To Network With Recruiters On LinkedIn

September 25, 2019 /

On average, I receive anywhere from 10-50 LinkedIn connection requests a week. While many are just “want to connect” messages, a WHOLE LOT are asking for my help or advice on how to get a job with my company.

I can probably provide actual, specific value to approximately 3% of those people.

This post is for the rest of you.

Image result for linkedin networking funny

So you want to work for a company. Awesome! Totally makes sense to connect with recruiters, because we are after all the mythical gatekeepers to all the jobs. Networking with recruiters at your target companies is a GREAT idea – as long as you’re hitting up the right ones. I work exclusively with a very specific business group within a giant organization. I know a fair bit about how we hire hardware engineers, especially for my client team. The rest of the company, not so much.

1. FIND THE RIGHT RECRUITER
If the goal is to connect someone who can help you get hired, then you need to look for recruiters who actually hire whatever it is you do. Recruiters are generally pretty good at sprucing up their profiles and dropping the right keywords. I did a quick search for finance recruiters at my company and had several viable hits in the first page. The key here is finding recruiting contacts that are probably responsible for filling the roles you’re interested in.

2. BE SPECIFIC IN YOUR REQUESTS
I get a lot of “just want to connect” requests which is TOTALLY fine – I’m a fairly open networker, so odds are I’ll accept. Hopefully you find value in content I share or maybe it leads you to another connection that can help you get wherever you’re trying to go. If you’re looking for a specific “in” or have questions let us know! It feels really good to help – I love it when someone reports back that they got their dream job or made a great connection because of something I said or did. Also, if I work here, it’s because I WANT TO. So I want you to want to, too. But I NEED you to be really clear with what you need from me and how I can help. A lot of you might be reading this because frankly, it’s the best response I can give you.

3. THINK BEYOND RECRUITING
Yeah, I know, we’re the mythical gatekeepers holding all the keys to the kingdom and bestowing offers on those we deem worthy. Hah. Sure we are…. can you imagine? No, actually we are more like connectors and collaborators, trying to bring two people (or more) together for the purpose of one great hire. It’s hard, but very, VERY important work. I would never suggest going AROUND a recruiter, but maybe just maybe… there’s another way? Who better to ask about what it’s like to work as a Software Engineer for Really Cool Company than a fellow Software Engineer already doing it? Even better, what about the Software Engineering Manager you could maybe work for someday??

Here’s what I know for sure – hiring managers ultimately feel the MOST pain of an open role. I have anywhere from 15-25 roles I’m recruiting for any given day. My primary focus is talking to people who can do one of those jobs. Nearly as important is making connections / talking to people who are qualified / potentially interested in doing similar jobs in the future. A hiring manager for a specific role is feeling an immediate pain on their team. Many of them even go so far as to post “We’re Hiring” in their LinkedIn headline! Find managers at companies you want to work for referencing things you want to work on. Be clear in your intentions, and specific in your requests. Help us help you!

I do not know any recruiter who intentionally withholds information or refuses to respond to candidates just to be a jerk. I promise – if you ever feel “neglected” or think that a recruiter is treating you poorly by not replying, there’s probably more to the story! Finally, as much as I hate templates, here’s once you can use as a starting point for your next outreach. PLEASE modify to fit your personal style, voice, and how you communicate.

Hi (recruiter name),

I am a (job title) working with (company) and am interested in learning more about how (company) hires (titles). I have applied online to (position), and found your profile which said you hire (titles).

I’m not sure if my application has made it to your desk, but I wanted to express my interest directly. You can learn more about me here (linkedin profile, personal blog, link to resume, WHATEVER). If I am a fit for any (title) roles you’re working on, I’d be happy to set up a call to discuss further. You can reach me directly at (email) or (phone).

If I may be a better fit for another (role/team/recruiter), please feel free to forward this email to the appropriate contact – I’d really appreciate it!

Thank you,

(you)

Easy peasy! Now why does this work? A few things – you’ve giving me CLEAR info that I can work with – you’re a this, looking for a this, at my company. Cool. You recognize that I actually recruit for relevant roles, which is like 8 billion bonus points. You applied online (yay! especially for big companies – we really do fish in our own pond) and you’re giving me contact info in case I want to immediately jump on the phone before you change your mind. 😉 Finally, you’re giving me permission to share (sooo helpful – I’m way more inclined to forward to my friends when I know you’re ok w/ it) and also not applying a ton of pressure to respond. It’s an open ended “hey if we fit let’s chat” and not a forced “I REALLY WANT TO NETWORK WITH YOU AND ASK YOU TO SOLVE ALL MY CAREER PROBLEMS”.

So there you have it. A peek into the brain of an overworked, stressed, and ultimately really wants to be helpful recruiter. Try it and let me know how it goes! Send me your results to amy@recruitinginyogapants.com – I’m opening up 30 minute coaching sessions to the first 5 job seekers who give this a try and share their feedback. Please put in the subject line “NETWORKING WITH RECRUITERS RESULTS” so I don’t miss it.

Happy connecting!

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