Laid Off WTF #1: Kinds of Technical Recruiters

Akash Joshi

Jan 2, 2024 • 1 min read

Logging into this website to journal my experience working with Technical Recruiters. Love em or hate em, they are the ones you spend the most time with while going through the hiring process.

Generally, recruiters can be divided into 2 categories - first party recruiters and third party recruiters.

👉 First party recruiters are employees of the company and have a ton of incentive that all of the company's positions are filled and that you get the best fit. This is because they probably believe in the company and most importantly, might have a direct monetory incentive to get you hired.

In the case that the role you applied for is one where you are not a good fit, first party recruiters ensure that you're redirected to the right people.

👉 Then there are middle sized companies who don't care about how they hire. Think MNCs who aren't tech focussed. They hire external consultancies to do their recruitment.

These recruiters are initially very friendly while trying to get your details in the system, and continue to remain friendly if you help them achieve their goals (get hired in their specific position). Outside of this, they generally work on a volume basis and so aren't too helpful in helping you find a good fit, or connecting you with the right people internally.

👉 There's a secret third group of recruiters I haven't talked about yet - first party recruiters for big tech or big banks. These recruiters tend to be a mix - and it depends on company/team culture as well. During good times - they are your best friends and want to ensure you find the best fit possible - making connections and opening doors internally. During bad market conditions, they're more secretive and try to only hire for the positions they are working on. This may also be related to each company's recruitment incentive structure.

Anyways, this is all based on my personal experience working with and reaching out to recruiters since 2021. The market is hard across the board - even for them, and everyone should look out for themselves.