I’m a recruiter AMA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What KIND of recruiter are you and how long have you been recruiting? How many people do you hire a year and what roles do you hire for the most?

I’ll give info on last two companies.
Commercial sales marketing and operations for a large revenue region.
My team and I would fill about 150 roles each year everything from Commerical Leaders, Head of Finance, Head of Compliance, all the way to customer service and distribution roles.

Professional services as the solo recruiter - everything from VP, consultants, back office tech, and sales operations

Where would you say most of your hires come from - referrals, company postings, staffing agencies, etc?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What KIND of recruiter are you and how long have you been recruiting? How many people do you hire a year and what roles do you hire for the most?

I’ll give info on last two companies.
Commercial sales marketing and operations for a large revenue region.
My team and I would fill about 150 roles each year everything from Commerical Leaders, Head of Finance, Head of Compliance, all the way to customer service and distribution roles.

Professional services as the solo recruiter - everything from VP, consultants, back office tech, and sales operations

Where would you say most of your hires come from - referrals, company postings, staffing agencies, etc?

Not OP but also work in recruiting. Most of our hires are sourced (meaning they don't apply, we find them online). We get lots of applications but most are unqualified right off the bat because they don't have a clearance.

Here's our breakdown from last year:
Sourced from a niche jobs board <1%
Applied via Indeed: 0%
Sourced from Indeed: 17%
Applied via LinkedIn: 13%
Sourced via LinkedIn: 38%
Employee Referral: 13%
Other: 17% (previous employees returning and things of that nature)

[Anonymous]

Do you have advice for good executive search firms to reach out to, to help me transition careers? I have two decades senior level experience in a field that no longer exists thanks to DOGE/Trump … the field is international development. I have skills that translate of course, certainly thinking about fields like corporate social impact, large foundations, etc. But have not had luck identifying recruiters in those fields. Are they mostly in house recruiters?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you have advice for good executive search firms to reach out to, to help me transition careers? I have two decades senior level experience in a field that no longer exists thanks to DOGE/Trump … the field is international development. I have skills that translate of course, certainly thinking about fields like corporate social impact, large foundations, etc. But have not had luck identifying recruiters in those fields. Are they mostly in house recruiters?

Not familiar with that space. Try a google search of Executive Search + Foundationa or Executive Search + Social Impact - you may get some results that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What KIND of recruiter are you and how long have you been recruiting? How many people do you hire a year and what roles do you hire for the most?

I’ll give info on last two companies.
Commercial sales marketing and operations for a large revenue region.
My team and I would fill about 150 roles each year everything from Commerical Leaders, Head of Finance, Head of Compliance, all the way to customer service and distribution roles.

Professional services as the solo recruiter - everything from VP, consultants, back office tech, and sales operations

Where would you say most of your hires come from - referrals, company postings, staffing agencies, etc?

Not OP but also work in recruiting. Most of our hires are sourced (meaning they don't apply, we find them online). We get lots of applications but most are unqualified right off the bat because they don't have a clearance.

Here's our breakdown from last year:
Sourced from a niche jobs board <1%
Applied via Indeed: 0%
Sourced from Indeed: 17%
Applied via LinkedIn: 13%
Sourced via LinkedIn: 38%
Employee Referral: 13%
Other: 17% (previous employees returning and things of that nature)

From personal experience, will go with this. I get messages on LinkedIn because I have a large connections circle known by recruiters looking for people with a specific skill set.

[Anonymous]

OP, if an application asks what the applicant's salary expectations are, does it matter if a range is entered or a single figure? Any preference?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, if an application asks what the applicant's salary expectations are, does it matter if a range is entered or a single figure? Any preference?

Every ATS is different. If a range is allowed enter a range. If text is allowed something like ‘120K negotiable’ works too. Some ATS will only allow one numeric figure. If that’s the case choose the number you can live with. For most employers this is a knockout question, you will be filtered out if you go too high. So do your research on the market range (which I described somewhere above).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, if an application asks what the applicant's salary expectations are, does it matter if a range is entered or a single figure? Any preference?

Every ATS is different. If a range is allowed enter a range. If text is allowed something like ‘120K negotiable’ works too. Some ATS will only allow one numeric figure. If that’s the case choose the number you can live with. For most employers this is a knockout question, you will be filtered out if you go too high. So do your research on the market range (which I described somewhere above).

NP with a follow up. Do you hold people to the number they put in or do you use an internal matrix based upon level of experience to set the salary. I ask because in the non profit space in particular salaries can be all over the place for the same role depending on the size and industry of the non-profit.

[Anonymous]

^^ OP if a post has a salary range and they ask you what salary you are interested in, will you be penalized for saying you are interested in the top end of the range? If so the what’s the point of having that top end if it’s actually too much for the company to consider?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, if an application asks what the applicant's salary expectations are, does it matter if a range is entered or a single figure? Any preference?

Every ATS is different. If a range is allowed enter a range. If text is allowed something like ‘120K negotiable’ works too. Some ATS will only allow one numeric figure. If that’s the case choose the number you can live with. For most employers this is a knockout question, you will be filtered out if you go too high. So do your research on the market range (which I described somewhere above).

NP with a follow up. Do you hold people to the number they put in or do you use an internal matrix based upon level of experience to set the salary. I ask because in the non profit space in particular salaries can be all over the place for the same role depending on the size and industry of the non-profit.

Most F500s have rigorous comp philosophy, job grading processes and salary bands. We have wiggle room within various quartiles in the band but rarely go to the top end unless someone has really unique really rare skill set. Once a company hits $1B in revenue we’re all playing within the same ranges for our given industry/vertical. The differentials will be in variable comp bonus percentages, stocks awards, retirement plan contributions, vesting schedules. So no I won’t hold you to a number and the company will negotiate, but we aren’t entertaining a 30k difference either.

[Anonymous]

[twitter]

Anonymous wrote:^^ OP if a post has a salary range and they ask you what salary you are interested in, will you be penalized for saying you are interested in the top end of the range? If so the what’s the point of having that top end if it’s actually too much for the company to consider?

Scroll and find my previous (fairly detailed) answer on salary questions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, if an application asks what the applicant's salary expectations are, does it matter if a range is entered or a single figure? Any preference?

Every ATS is different. If a range is allowed enter a range. If text is allowed something like ‘120K negotiable’ works too. Some ATS will only allow one numeric figure. If that’s the case choose the number you can live with. For most employers this is a knockout question, you will be filtered out if you go too high. So do your research on the market range (which I described somewhere above).

NP with a follow up. Do you hold people to the number they put in or do you use an internal matrix based upon level of experience to set the salary. I ask because in the non profit space in particular salaries can be all over the place for the same role depending on the size and industry of the non-profit.

Most F500s have rigorous comp philosophy, job grading processes and salary bands. We have wiggle room within various quartiles in the band but rarely go to the top end unless someone has really unique really rare skill set. Once a company hits $1B in revenue we’re all playing within the same ranges for our given industry/vertical. The differentials will be in variable comp bonus percentages, stocks awards, retirement plan contributions, vesting schedules. So no I won’t hold you to a number and the company will negotiate, but we aren’t entertaining a 30k difference either.

Thank you, I guess I meant my question in the other direction. In other words, if I put a lower number in and it turns out I am almost at the bottom of the pay range will you offer that lower number or use a pay setting matrix and offer me a higher number assuming it is commensurate with my experience level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, if an application asks what the applicant's salary expectations are, does it matter if a range is entered or a single figure? Any preference?

Every ATS is different. If a range is allowed enter a range. If text is allowed something like ‘120K negotiable’ works too. Some ATS will only allow one numeric figure. If that’s the case choose the number you can live with. For most employers this is a knockout question, you will be filtered out if you go too high. So do your research on the market range (which I described somewhere above).

NP with a follow up. Do you hold people to the number they put in or do you use an internal matrix based upon level of experience to set the salary. I ask because in the non profit space in particular salaries can be all over the place for the same role depending on the size and industry of the non-profit.

Most F500s have rigorous comp philosophy, job grading processes and salary bands. We have wiggle room within various quartiles in the band but rarely go to the top end unless someone has really unique really rare skill set. Once a company hits $1B in revenue we’re all playing within the same ranges for our given industry/vertical. The differentials will be in variable comp bonus percentages, stocks awards, retirement plan contributions, vesting schedules. So no I won’t hold you to a number and the company will negotiate, but we aren’t entertaining a 30k difference either.

Thank you, I guess I meant my question in the other direction. In other words, if I put a lower number in and it turns out I am almost at the bottom of the pay range will you offer that lower number or use a pay setting matrix and offer me a higher number assuming it is commensurate with my experience level.

We generally want pay equity across the same position and we don’t actively WANT to bring someone in at the bottom of the pay range just like we don’t want to bring people in at the top. Why? Again pay equity. Now if you price yourself at the 25th percentile, will we offer you what you asked for? Yes, we will do that. Will we offer you the midpoint of the range because you did not do research or did not advocate for your experience appropriately? Nope we will not.

Remember that You advocate for yourself in this process, no one else.

Now here’s the real talk - I haven’t encountered Anyone in recent memory who priced themselves at the absolute bottom of a salary range. We do bring people in at the 25th percentile. That happens a lot.

[Anonymous]

In an earlier post, you said you might be inclined to give a second look to a candidate who reached out to you in Linked In. What do successful messages look like to you? What language gets your attention in a positive way? Thanks…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In an earlier post, you said you might be inclined to give a second look to a candidate who reached out to you in Linked In. What do successful messages look like to you? What language gets your attention in a positive way? Thanks…

Just say Hi there, I wanted to let you know I just applied for the x role. I have a background in y and am really interested to learn more about the position. That’s it. Painless. Keep it simple!