Ronda Cowen

Yesterday I posted a Software Engineer job in Dallas, TX. Today it had 411 applicants   Here is how I screened through the applicants (writing as I go along).   The job is not remote. Since the role is hybrid onsite in Dallas I can reject everyone outside the state of Texas. Some folks leave off their City, State from their resume so they’ll get lumped into the non-local crowd.   I'm left with 163 applicants   Next I'm rejecting applicants with only their first name on their resume (or first name and first initial) and the ones who need visa sponsorship (this client does not sponsor). The lion share of candidates won’t disclose visas on their resume so I’ll likely have to discover those manually. A large portion of those are the ones who apply with only their first name however. For anyone else that applies with only their first name...maybe revisit that.   I'm left with 91 applicants   Next I’m rejected applicants based on mismatched job titles. The client is looking for someone full stack and this a PHP shop modernizing to full stack JavaScript with React.js & Node.js. I'm looking for variations of Software Engineer or Full Stack Developer titles with matching tech stacks. I’m left with 29 applicants Now I’m going to start looking at individual resumes instead of the grid view in our ATS. I’m looking for candidates who have 3 key items (PHP, React.js, and Node.js) and located in the Dallas area. I’m left with 0 applicants I didn’t get the chance to screen for other important items like experience level, job hopping, or give preference to candidates coming from the restaurant industry or experience working on a customer loyalty platform (what this client is asking us for). See why this job market is so hard? With the return to office mandates, clients are making every single job search a “needle in the haystack”. I’m trying to be efficient with my time and leveraging the grid view in our ATS (which most recruiters use). Part of problem here is an ATS’s ability to parse the correct information from resumes into the grid view. None of them are 100% accurate. Our is pretty good, but not perfect. It’s possible that great resumes were rejected because they used complicated resume templates and the ATS took a wrong guess in populating the grid view fields. Lessons for Job Seekers: - Use commonly used boring resume templates (definitely not Canva) - Tailor your resume for every application - Use your full name, job title, and location at the top - Be mindful of the job title. Will it match or disqualify you? Should you be applying to this job? - If you’re not local, follow up with a LinkedIn message letting the company know you’re interested in relocating. - If you’re planning to relocate, use the new city on your resume (just be upfront about that in the interview).

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2021: I was all up in in senior developers' DMs trying to hire them. 2024: Senior developers are all up in my DMs trying to get hired by me. 😱 3 years apart, tables turned. I was really surprised recently because that developers write to me directly without any prior contact - I had only ever experienced that for juniors and career starters. NOT the seniors. An indicator of changing market dynamics? Developers still get jobs, but maybe not on the conditions that were plentiful in 2021. I remember the community mentioning outrageous offer numbers... Just to mention it: I'm currently in a fellowship and not hiring. Recommending people into jobs also takes quite some resources and network. I do the best I can for people that I know (community, coachees and mentees). But of course my resources are limited, like anyone else's. On top, I am unable to attend in-person events, so I'm quite cut-off from the Berlin scene due to my immunocompromization. What is your experience? Have you ever had a time when you activated your contacts and network to get a job? How do you view the current tech job market?

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If you ever feel lonely just post on Linkedin that you're looking for remote contractors. My inbox is BOILING! 😂😅🤯🤩🚀 Some pro-tips if you want a recruiter's attention and maximize your chances of getting the job: — Be easy to work with. Super underrated skill. — Answer the questions the recruiter asks. Yes all of them. — Include your rough rates upfront. It can vary but give me something. — Don't hide your name or use an anonymous profile pic. Should go without saying. — If there is an area where you're lacking, don't be afraid to point that out. That builds trust. — Read the job description carefully and point out why you're a good match. Make my job easy. — If there might be ambiguity around your visa situation or language, please be clear about that. And then maybe most powerful of all: — Share a relevant customer testimonial. So many I've talked to who say they don't have any at hand. This is sales and marketing fundamentals. In a market like this doing these things really helps you stand out. I just had a candidate who checked most of these boxes. Many of the others? Not so much. I wonder who will be at the top of my list. Happy Friday! 🌮 🕺🏻 (I'm looking for 6 fullstack contractors. .NET/React/Angular/Azure. Remote-first. Long-term assignment for Swedish SaaS company. EU membership needed.)

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CEOs, COOs, Presidents: Take some advice from a very experienced HR Executive, T.J. Owens. Please stop the interview insanity with six and eight rounds of interviews. Also, stop using the interview process to have candidates do an "interview project." That's a scam just to get free work valued at $50 - $100K in consulting costs.

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Food for thought. If you have your own LLC that you use for freelancing and contract work, and you have your title listed as 'CEO' for your LLC, you increase the chances of your resume being passed over exponentially. When a recruiter is looking for a software developer, they're scanning for titles like "developer" OR "engineer". If they see "CEO" instead, there's a good chance that they'll just go to the next candidate. Remember, you have on average 6 seconds to grab the recruiter's attention. If they don't see what they're looking for, or see the wrong type of information, they're just going to move on.

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Working with a niched recruiter has so many benefits. As a client, you're getting an expert in the field. For example, we just picked up multiple software engineering roles this week. We already have a deep pipeline of fully vetted candidates that were already technically vetted and/or had references checked. In essence, we already had coverage to these roles the second they hit our inbox. As a candidate, you're working with someone who actually understands what you do. We're not just reading off a script and checking off the boxes. We're having a legitimate conversation about your background, pain points, motives, and how we can help move your career in the right direction.

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Recruiter: Hi, John. I wanted to discuss the open position for the Senior Software Developer role. Do you have a few minutes? Hiring Manager: Yeah, I guess. What do you need? Recruiter: Great. I’ve reviewed a few resumes and I have some potential candidates, but I wanted to get a clearer picture of what you’re looking for in the ideal candidate. Can you tell me more about the key skills and experiences that are critical for this role? Hiring Manager: I already sent you the job description, didn’t I? Recruiter: Yes, but I was hoping to get some more specifics from you. For example, you mentioned experience with cloud services. Are you looking for expertise in AWS, Azure, or GCP? Hiring Manager: Honestly, any cloud service works. We just need someone who knows the cloud stuff. Recruiter: Alright. Are there any particular projects or types of work they should have experience with? Hiring Manager: They just need to be good at coding. I don’t care what projects they’ve worked on as long as they can code. Recruiter: How about soft skills? Are there particular attributes you’re looking for in terms of team fit and work style? Hiring Manager: I don’t have time to worry about soft skills. If they can code and get the work done, that’s all that matters. Recruiter: Understood. One last thing—what’s the timeline for this hire? When do you need the new developer to start? Hiring Manager: Yesterday. We’re already behind schedule and we can’t afford any more delays. Recruiter: That’s quite urgent. I’ll do my best to expedite the process. Hiring Manager: Yeah, well, we’ll see. Just make sure you get someone who can actually do the job this time. We can’t afford another misfit. Recruiter: I understand. I’ll keep you updated on our progress. Hiring Manager: Fine. Just get it done. Recruiter: Will do. Thanks for your time. 📣 It is important that, as hiring managers, we are clear about the person we are looking for. A job description is not enough to fully understand the role and its needs. Clear and constant communication and collaboration are what make the hiring process work. #hiring #talentacquisition #hr #leadership #leaders #business #management

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Just about 4.5 months and I still haven't been able to land another interview with the resumes I have put out that I customize for each role that I apply for. Recruiters that reach out to me for roles I may be qualified for end up ghosting me after I tell them that I am interested or the ones that I tee them up for to submit me, I am unsure if I even get submitted for the role because I hear nothing further. What is the deal with all of this? I am trying really hard to get noticed and get recruiters to submit me to positions. I have a recruiter that I got transitioned to through TekSystems and I haven't heard peep for a few weeks now. I am looking for roles here on LinkedIn, InDeed, Dice, CareerBuilder, etc. I have had to take a hospitality job to have some steady income and reduce the wear and tear on my vehicle from doing Uber/Lyft/DoorDash and it really hurts going back to a minimum wage job after working my butt off to make what I was making as a Senior Web Developer and being laid off so many times within the past year either due to Covid or contracts being shortened early. I need as much reach as I can get on this post to have anyone and everyone out there willing to take a look at my skills as a web developer. What the drawback from my resume is that it can't provide insight as my knowledge in frontend frameworks such as Angular, React, Vue, or NextJs because all of that knowledge is from me training myself to stay current with the latest technologies. None of my roles have used any sort of frontend framework and it has been a kick in the pants getting any sort of roles that require knowledge in these frameworks. I've mainly been hired for backend roles where it has been primarily PHP or NodeJS which is fine. I just know that PHP is dying (or at least it seems to be) and I know I'll not be able to get any roles in .NET because I don't have the skills, but am willing to learn as I pick things up quickly. When it comes to learning a programming language, it all comes down to learning the syntax and terminology. I am really at my wits-end and trying my hardest to get back to what I love doing. #People #PHP #NodeJS #Angular #React #VueJS #NextJS #API #APIDevelopment #OpenToWork #Recruiter #WebDeveloper #WebDevelopment #FrontEndDeveloper #BackEndDeveloper #FullStackDeveloper #WebDesign #HTML #CSS #JavaScript #Programming #Coding #SoftwareDevelopment #TechJobs #JobSearch #CareerDevelopment

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reach

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So many Developers come to me with the same problem: "I'm unhappy in my current job, but I don't know what would make me happier." It's a really overwhelming position to be in. How can you start a job search if you don't know what you're looking for? If you're in a similar position, here's what I always suggest: 1️⃣ Make a spreadsheet or grab a piece of paper. 2️⃣ Separate the page into: - Fixed salary - Bonuses & perks - Work-life balance - Setup (office/hybrid/remote) - Culture - Colleagues - Management - Progression/growth opportunities - Challenge - Overall happiness 3️⃣ Then, rank each category out of 10, and think about what's behind your scores. By breaking your job into bite-sized pieces and inspecting each one, you'll be one step closer to identifying what's missing from your current role and what you'd like to gain from your next one. I hope this is helpful, and if you need any support, you know where to find me! 🙂 #MobileDevelopers #SoftwareDevelopers #AppDevelopers

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One of the best predictors of future tech hiring is the number of tech recruiter positions being posted. Companies start hiring internal recruiters when they plan to hire 10+ people a year (sometimes fewer). According to LinkedIn, tech recruiter postings have increased 9%. Seeing fewer RIF posts and an uptick in internal tech recruiter positions is good for everyone. If you still feel like getting a job is extremely difficult, it’s because it still is. But I can unequivocally tell you it’s much better than it was 6, 9, or 12 months ago. Here’s to a strong 2024 finish 💪 CC: talent cookbook #ChicagoTech #TalentCookBook #TechRecruiterJobs #TechHiring #startups #StartUpHiring #NowHiring

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This job market is a dumpster fire. Hot, flaming garbage all around. I've read your stories. So many brilliant, talented and dedicated people are caught in the lurch. So many tragic stories of application purgatory (I'm looking at you, Workday and ATS systems) constant customization of resumes, CVs and cover letters... and more cover letters. (I got so sick of writing cover letters that I actually just sent a chili recipe as a cover letter - don't tell anybody) My point is this: You're valuable. Getting laid off is not your fault. Please don't feel like a victim - a big ask, I know. You've honed your craft and your skills absolutely have value. This too shall pass and I want you to know that I'm cheering for you. Simple as that. I'm cheering for you to get a better gig than you had, to get the remote or in-office situation that suits you best, a competitive market-value salary (no low-ball offers), and a chance to work within a team that values your contribution and makes it known. You deserve every bit of it. EVERY BIT. A colleague had a brilliant quote: "Your network is your net worth." Work those contacts, use this platform to connect in positive ways. I'm cheering for you.

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I’m seeing more posts about hiring requirements, and people making broad strokes posts calling for a reduction in hiring criteria. In a perfect world this could work. Companies could hire people that don’t have direct industry experience, or don’t possess all of the skills a manager is looking for - but most can’t. Do you know why? Most companies don’t have enough senior staff to cover the work load AND train someone who doesn’t possess the needed skills. Companies are running very lean staffing models right now, and they simply don’t have enough the capacity to ramp up people and still meet business needs. While unfortunate, it is the shape of the current market.

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Dear Hiring Managers, Let's keep entry-level positions truly entry-level! Recently, I came across a job posting for an entry-level software engineer role that demanded a minimum of 5 years' experience with microservices. This requirement seems unrealistic. Five years ago, when I was two years into my computer science career, microservices, weren't as prevalent. Back then, proficiency in object-oriented programming, basic algorithms, and data structures sufficed for many tasks. If you seek a candidate with 5 years of microservices experience, it's more fitting to designate the position as senior. Otherwise, adjusting the requirements to match the entry-level status would be more appropriate. By recruiting promising candidates and providing them with training, you may be surprised at what they can accomplish, even without 5 years of microservices experience. #Hiring #EntryLevel #SoftwareEngineer #Recruitment #Microservices

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I left Microsoft to start a remote senior developer role at Fluxon. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐛𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧: 1. Find jobs on these remote job boards: - LinkedIn (jobs -> filter by remote) - Remote .co - We Work Remotely - FlexJobs - RemoteOk - VirtualVocations 2. For each job you like, reach out to folks already working at that company via LinkedIn. Try to find recruiters if possible. Share your resume, ask if you would be a good fit. 3. Ask if folks would be willing to refer you considering your profile. If they say you might not be a good fit, ask what your profile lacks. Most of the times they would be willing to help. 4. If you don’t find a good response, apply to the position directly and move on. 5. You cannot just apply to 5 companies and hope to get a call from one. It’s somewhere still a numbers game. To improve your chances, apply at as many as you can. Bonus: - Try to tailor your resume to the job description. - Need a referral for Fluxon? Reach out in DMs.

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I left Microsoft to start a remote senior developer role at Fluxon. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐛𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧: 1. Find jobs on these remote job boards: - LinkedIn (jobs -> filter by remote) - Remote .co - We Work Remotely - FlexJobs - RemoteOk - VirtualVocations 2. For each job you like, reach out to folks already working at that company via LinkedIn. Try to find recruiters if possible. Share your resume, ask if you would be a good fit. 3. Ask if folks would be willing to refer you considering your profile. If they say you might not be a good fit, ask what your profile lacks. Most of the times they would be willing to help. 4. If you don’t find a good response, apply to the position directly and move on. 5. You cannot just apply to 5 companies and hope to get a call from one. It’s somewhere still a numbers game. To improve your chances, apply at as many as you can. Bonus: - Try to tailor your resume to the job description. - Need a referral for Fluxon? Reach out in DMs. #programming #coding #jobs #interview #remotejobs #sde #softwaredeveloper #java #python #go

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