Not having any luck reaching out to software engineers? Here’s some advice from Glassdoor: Keep trying.
Seventy percent of engineers say recruiters are one of the most common ways they hear about new opportunities. Friends, social media, former co-workers, nothing ranks higher than recruiters for new job information, with the very narrow exception of job boards. But with only 71% giving them the edge, it’s a statistical dead heat. And, when you consider how accessible and ubiquitous the posting sites are, recruiters must be doing something right.
What they most value in a recruiter is transparency. By far the largest share (81%) of the respondents to Glassdoor’s survey of some 1,400 employed software engineers said they most value recruiters who tell them the pros and cons of different companies. Recruiters who fudge even a little run the risk of a turndown should the candidate discover the company isn’t quite as it was portrayed. Nearly every engineer in the survey — 97% — said they read the online reviews before they accept a job offer.
They also depend heavily on what their friends and past and current co-workers have to say.
What else do they value in a recruiters?:
- Knowledge of the candidate’s experience – 63%;
- Not being pushy – 52%;
- working as hard for the candidate as for the employer – 50%.
Curiously, just over half the engineers said they’d take less money to work at a company with a great culture 52%) or an attractive product or service (51%). But when they were asked what would entice them to leave their current job, 78% said compensation; 76% said career opportunities.
The most likely job changers are engineers who have been with a company for three or more years. Between 30% and 38%, depending on how many years of service they have, told Gloassdoor they are likely to leave in the next three months.