Staircase driven recruitment
Recently I got an email from a tech recruiter from a relatively big company which made me think a lot about something that feels wrong with how some companies try to attract talent.
The email itself was quite short, nonspecific typical stuff software engineers always get: “saw your profile, looks great, we should talk”.
Within the message, there were two links. One of them an Instagram profile which at a glance did not show what it looks like to work there.
The second one, and most important, a link to images of very high-end custom design staircase (assuming part of the offices).
Let me try to put you in my shoes while reading this in sequence.
Let’s start with the “looks great” statement
It feels flattering to get a compliment, but without depth, it feels cheap and artificial.
If you want to compliment someone, even though this is not necessary, make it specific and concrete: “Our engineers liked your blog post on X, we also had Y problem and it was well written”.
My mind at this point is thinking: this person doesn’t care much about me or what I do.
Moving on to the first link: Instagram
There is nothing wrong with a link to some social media when what it’s displayed connects to the message you are trying to deliver. In general, that tends to be:
- We have a great company that everyone enjoys to come to work to
- We do cool and challenging things that make an impact
But when your Instagram is showing random pictures of what seems to be a high-quality stock photo album of smiling people, with no connection to what you do or why you do it, it’s hard to feel any connection or inspiration.
One example of a company I found really nails this is Basecamp https://www.instagram.com/basecamp/. In this case when I have a look, what I see is people together making things, a clear identity and message of why they do what they do.
Interim
Up to this point, I can’t see a single reason why I should be spending any time talking with this person, which has not spent any time considering my profile or effort to tell me what the company does.
I have no clue what their identity as a company is and therefore can’t tell what it would like to be there or how I would feel working for you.
Finally, the pièce de résistance: bespoke Staircase
This is the part that really brought me down the most, as I can imagine Luke felt when he learned Darth Vader was his father.
Don’t get me wrong, working in a nice office that is well designed with a focus on the people working there and their needs is something that everyone can appreciate. I would love to work in a Eudaimonia machine, but it can be hard to achieve.
My visceral reaction comes from the fact that in this email, this is the first tangible point in which I can see something being offered, a selling point if you may.
If your only shot at capturing talent is showing how expensive and high end your office is, you have bigger problems than finding people.
If the people that work for you are there only for the fancy offices, what is going to happen when you can’t afford them? Or when company B with 10 times more resources builds a much better office across the road?
Wrap up
Nobody likes that feeling of being cheated or persuaded into something, especially when it comes to a job which usually is where you spend a considerable amount of your waking hours.
In my experience the emails I tend to reply all have the same characteristics:
- Are concrete on how I fit their organization
- Have a clear message on what engineering looks like in those places
- Show me how it would be if I were to be working there
- Explain clearly why the company exists and what they are hoping to achieve
When most (or all) these points align and I don’t feel like I’ve been cheated into a conversation (this is key), I know I will remember your offer and consider it above others. Even If I decide not to move forward, I will definitely come to you first when I decide to make a move.
May the stairs be with you all!
