Recruiters from Venus and Programmers from Mars?

People always refer to `US` and `THEM`- HR girls and IT guys; forever on opposite sides of the barricade. We search, announce and promote, while they usually insensitive to these activities, just sit and “type the code”. The recruiter is often seen as a person who is not entirely competent, deprived of empathy, focused on achieving sales targets at all costs, pushy in the way they work. There is no doubt, however, that the recruiter must combine the qualities of a good psychologist, a detective and a PR specialist to find a suitable candidate. On the other hand, there is a repentant myth of the programmer as sometimes surly, often introverted.  They are also accused of hiding behind their computers and having poor communication skills.  In addition, they either don`t come to recruitment interviews or make five-digit salary demands when they do (preferably in euros!).

Programmers and recruiters are like two different planets that orbit the Sun, like Venus and Mars. There are stereotypes about each industry, including the IT industry, which is changing as quickly as its technologies. The question is, will those stereotypes change any time soon?

#Offer of a lifetime – there are companies you don’t refuse

Recruitment is an orderly process full of standardization and specifics. It can be compared to a delicious dinner in a `fancy` restaurant with an attractive menu. It always starts with the offer – both sent by the recruiter and the one handed over by the waiter at the restaurant in the form of a menu. What we find inside often affects our further actions. So we try the dishes and we gain new experiences.

Let’s start from the very beginning! Before a programmer decides to change jobs, there must first be a hunger that internally guides him to that path. It often happens that specialists decide on changes due to the lack of development opportunities in the project and being stuck in a boring, repetitive scheme that is effectively a “glass ceiling”. You could do nothing, but then you would have to take into account the depreciation of earnings. The IT industry hates stagnation, so a specialist must constantly do something that will give them the feeling that they are moving forward, that they are developing. Searching for companies that will be able to satisfy this thirst for knowledge and gaining new skills (developing projects, access to e-learning platforms, courses, training, participation in conferences and meetups) is often the greatest benefit.

So what about this development? We often ask our candidates a question about the area they would like to develop in that is generally missing in their current job.

For the most part, it turns out that it is crucial for them to learn new technologies (such as AWS, Big Data, Blockchain or Machine Learning), get a higher position in the project (e.g. no longer a junior/regular but a senior position, which gives an enormous amount of freedom in decision making). They also value implementing their own ideas, creating new functionalities, autonomy in decision making in areas that affect the final shape of the project and contributing to job satisfaction among specialists. We often also hear: “… because the project you sent to me is interesting, it is a challenge for me, I want more details” 🙂

Another reason that contributes to a decision to change jobs is when the specialist realizes that he or she simply “doesn’t get along with the team. “The work of a developer is often about team work, and programmers are generally passionate about their work, they feel good among people who have similar professional ideas. If the atmosphere is bad, even great earnings won’t make up for it. If you add a low salary to that, it is certain that their LinkedIn profile will be updated very quickly.

And that’s when recruiters come in to catch the perfect candidate. What draws a candidate`s attention first is, of course, money. We further read: “… there are benefits, promises, convenient location and, above all, a developing project with a technological stack that is of interest to me! When you come across such an “offer of a lifetime”, you just don’t refuse. “

# “a recruiter is writing to me…”

“A recruiter is writing to me … I answer that I am not interested yet he writes in a week that he has another great offer! “- these are the situations that programmers struggle with every day and they usually result in them not keeping in touch with the recruiter. None of us like pushy people. Unless we are against the wall and suddenly it turns out that there is no project, no company and no one knows what to do. Then there is a quick return path to the professional market – which in recent years definitely belongs to the employee – and they are first to contact friends from the industry or recruiters who have left a positive impression after previous contacts. Additionally, there are “a thousand” messages to read on LI, each different – some with details, other only with a short “teaser”. Programmers also often find offers that do not match their professional profile at all, sometimes Maciek becomes Agata or the names of listed technologies are confusing. There are no infallible people and even the best make mistakes 🙂 The more specific the information, the greater the chance that the offer will intrigue and the specialist will contact the recruiter.

It is very important to adapt the offer to the professional profile. If the recruitment process takes place in a nice, relaxed atmosphere, and above all the recruiter is honest from the very beginning, he or she will definitely be remembered well.

Every candidate likes to feel taken care of – if one offer does not seem attractive, maybe they can find another one, a better one – matching exactly this specific programmer from Mars 🙂

The #Recruiter is the first person I meet – like on a date; sometimes it can ruin the opinion about the company for years

The IT industry is an industry of people who like specificity who expect us recruiters to provide them with this specific content, starting from the first telephone call or email contact. IT specialists could write books about their experiences with recruiters. Let’s focus, however, on what they expect from us and what they want.

First of all: “The offer should be like a CV – not too long so as not to discourage anyone from reading, but it should contain all the necessary information” – say our interlocutors with conviction.

Secondly: “No one suffers from an excess of time, and a long and complicated recruitment process suggests that the employer lacks agility” – based on the principle that time is money, developers care primarily that recruitment processes do not last more than one or two stages (the possibility of carrying them out remotely is an added value).

It is also extremely important for recruiters to be responsive at each stage of the recruitment process, and eventually that they don’t avoid negative feedback, which – if it is constructive – is very valuable to the specialists!

As in code writing, also in the recruitment process, developers attach great importance to details: punctuality or professionalism during a meeting or conversation should therefore be our inherent qualities.

Being aware of the importance of the first impression, we must try to make sure that it is not the last impression that we leave the candidate with. Let’s remember what is absolutely the most important in our daily work – honesty (we do not make empty promises). Being yourself and a sense of humor are qualities that will “charm” everyone – programmers as well. Sometimes, all you need is a sincere smile, a small joke or an offer to use the first name to break the barrier in the first and subsequent contacts.

#Java in the Script version or programming in the .NET framework language?

I think it happened to each of us recruiters – especially at the beginning of the IT recruitment adventure – to make smaller or larger mistakes in the names or understanding of the technologies and tools that programmers work with on a daily basis. Nothing wrong with that! Everyone is doing something for the first time. However, we already know that IT specialists do not require us to have knowledge similar to theirs (then we would probably already be their buddies from the desk next door), but they expect a basic understanding of the offer we present to them, i.e. also about the technological stack. “It is important to know that the recruiter knows who he wants to recruit and what technologies he is talking about,” they say unanimously.

In their opinion, it would be better not to confuse Java with JavaScript (mistakenly speaking of “Java in the Script version“), not call Python “pyton”, C# “C hashtag” , Java “Java” with a “J”, Symfony – “Symphony” or consider .NET both a language and a framework .

Some also attach importance to the written correctness of the technology stack presented in the message. Generally, for the specialists to whom we send trillions of messages on LI, it is important that we have a general understanding of the offer we present to them, about the company we are recruiting for, the benefits, stages of the recruitment process etc. So do not be afraid to provide them with such information and do not be afraid to admit it if you do not know the answer to a question at the moment. Programmers are normal people – they’ll understand! 🙂

#”Benefits in paradise” in the eyes of IT professionals

The IT industry is growing faster than other disciplines, which is why a good specialist must be alert at all times and expand his or her knowledge. Benefits are undoubtedly an important aspect when choosing an employer, however, our interlocutors did not emphasize the importance medical care or a sports package. Such perks are now present at every respected company.

“Benefits” such as the opportunity to develop thanks to modern technologies and tools the company works with, a training budget or regular raises as a natural course of things during the employment period are definitely more important.

It also turns out that for many specialists, the possibility to play PS daily, massages, krav maga classes or training with a personal trainer at the office gym are not as important, as  the atmosphere at work. One of our interlocutors confessed that he values “a morning chat over coffee with the NBC team”, while another one attaches great importance to the employer’s support for employees’ active leisure time (picnics, bonding trips, all sports activities).

For others, the ability to change the project, carry out technical verifications at the request of recruiters, the possibility of conducting trainings/workshops inside the company or at external meetups, or participation in industry conferences are important.

The ideal bliss is the opportunity to maintain balance at work. Both development and a friendly, relaxed atmosphere combined with enthusiasm for dynamic leisure time are the most important factors that make a workplace a true Arcadia.

Venus vs. Mars?

The IT industry is like a galaxy with a wonderful solar system, where both recruiters from Venus and programmers from Mars will find their place. Although these are two completely different planets, we are sure that we will always find a common language – successful recruitment is the best proof of that!

We can outdo each other in technology, finance or benefits, but none of these things can replace humans and a purely humane approach. It is important that we are honest and care for positive relationships and atmosphere. It is so little, but it brings so many benefits in an agile IT environment 🙂