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 percent 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 percent) 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 percent — 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 percent;
- Not being pushy – 52 percent;
- Working as hard for the candidate as for the employer – 50 percent.
Curiously, just over half the engineers said they’d take less money to work at a company with a great culture (52 percent) or an attractive product or service (51 percent). But when they were asked what would entice them to leave their current job, 78 percent said compensation; 76 percent 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 percent, depending on how many years of service they have, told Gloassdoor they are likely to leave in the next three months.