I first wrote a version of this in 2014. Over a decade later, the same patterns keep repeating, so it’s worth restating how I prefer to work with recruiters. This isn’t meant to be hostile. I genuinely value good recruiters and have made some excellent hires through agency partnerships over the years. But I’ve also wasted a lot of time on interactions that could have been avoided if expectations were clearer from the start.
Follow this guide and we’ll get on well. Ignore it and we probably won’t work together, regardless of how strong the candidate or how interesting the role.
Don’t connect with me using “We’ve done business together” if we haven’t. I’ll reject the request.
If you’d like to work with me, send a message that explains who you are, what you specialise in, and why I should consider working with you. Include a reference or two I can follow up on. If you don’t hear back, that means I don’t need your services right now. Try again in a few months.
A good opening message is short, specific, and shows you’ve actually looked at what I do. A bad one is a generic template sent to every engineering leader in your search results. I can tell the difference.
Speculative CVs
Don’t send me unsolicited CVs for candidates I “don’t want to miss out on.” If we’re not already working together, you’re unlikely to know what I’m hiring for, or whether I’m hiring at all.
Any speculative CVs sent without a prior agreement will be treated as a gift. I don’t accept terms and conditions attached to unsolicited correspondence unless I’ve explicitly agreed to them in writing.
Calling and Emailing
Don’t call me repeatedly without leaving a voicemail. If you want to talk, call once, leave a clear message explaining who you are and why it’s worth my time to call back. If I don’t respond, that’s your answer for now.
The same applies to email. One well-crafted email explaining how you work and what you can offer is fine. If I don’t reply, take that as a polite “not right now” rather than a cue to follow up three more times.
Contacting My Team
Don’t call anyone who works for me to try and get put through to me. And don’t call them to offer them roles. I won’t work with recruiters who operate this way, and it reflects poorly on your agency.
Events and Meetups
If you’re organising an event, be upfront about the fact that it’s a recruitment-driven occasion. There’s nothing wrong with that, but framing a commercial event as a community meetup erodes trust. Tell me what the genuine value is for me or my team, and I’ll make an honest assessment of whether it’s worth attending.
What Good Looks Like
The recruiters I work with well tend to share a few characteristics. They take the time to understand what I’m actually looking for before sending candidates. They’re honest about the market and don’t oversell. They give candidates a good experience regardless of the outcome. And they respect boundaries. They know that no response means not right now, not “try harder.”
If that sounds like how you work, I’d be happy to hear from you.