Travis Garcia

I think the biggest mistake people can make in an interview is being too honest. Crazy right?! The thing I have seen a lot from interviewing. Is admitting "I don't know something" and leaving it at that. Killing the interview and your chances of obtaining the job. But, chances are that you do know! Many job seekers have experienced a scenario in a job that can properly answer the question given to them in an interview. Try this: Practice answering questions with how YOU would solve for something that "you don't know." Give them an example that you were a part of, use the STAR method to assist you. Tell them direct impact, what you learned from the example, what you would have done to optimize the result. Good hiring team is looking for candidates who can be coachable especially in lower level positions. Take ownership of the example to answer the question! Sometimes, being close to the example is as good experience as being the executor of the example. Smart people learn from their own mistakes, but wise people learn from the mistakes of others as well! This kind of approach could be terrible advice or, it might get you a job. Happy hunting Job seekers

8

Let's talk about the importance of communication in the application process 🗣️ Even when it's not good news. As a job seeker, radio silence after an application can be disheartening. Recruiters and hiring managers, a simple "thanks, but no thanks" email can go a long way. Here's why: Courtesy matters: It shows respect for the candidate's time and effort invested in applying. Leave a positive impression: Even if they're not a fit now, they might be a great candidate for a future opening. Networking opportunity: A personalized note with specific feedback can open doors to future connections or referrals. ✍🏼 And much more… By prioritizing communication on both sides, we can create a more positive and productive recruitment experience for everyone. 🤜🏼🤛🏼

7

2 Comments

The recruiting process isn’t broken … Because there is no recruiting process. Every recruiter, hiring manager, and company has their own flow and process. I know it’s easy to feel like the system is broken, people are out here applying for thousands of jobs, some have been out of full time work for over a year - some of those people are recruiters. Example - I posted a remote business analyst role , with no clearance, and a decent salary for the requirements. It got 300 applications in two days, and the ATS we currently use doesn’t allow us to take it down until we close it or hire to it. We could only hire one person. We ended up having to decline 410 applicants. Regardless of how many amazing applicants we got, we could only hire one person. There are fewer recruiters, and more applicants than ever. The entire job market is in a lull, but this is what the market does. It ebbs and flows, and right now we’re in a pretty deep ebb. On behalf of recruiters everywhere - we really want to see you win. #recruiterlife #nowhiring #jobsearch

81

42 Comments

I don't have data to support this but it feels like the Talent Acquisition market has improved a lot this quarter! My feed seems to be flooded with new opportunities!  🎉 🚀 I'm trying to spend 15-30 a day sharing for my network as I still know a few awesome TA folks looking for an opportunity. 🙏 Does anyone have any data to support my view - LinkedIn for example? Any of the top Internal Rec-Rec's seeing this trend (not going to tag as I'll upset someone...)? #talent #talentacquisition #recruitment #recruiter #careers #hiring #linkedin

45

12 Comments

🔍 Experiencing the Perils of Hiring: My Reflections on Recruiting   Recently, we posted a Remote Full Stack Developer role, and the response was overwhelming. However, with the influx of applicants came a stark realization - the prevalence of fake candidates.   🤖 Navigating through countless fabricated resumes and profiles consumed substantial time and resources. As a team, we spent hours sifting through applications, discerning genuine talent from those merely masquerading. It was a daunting task, to say the least.   ⏰ Time is a precious commodity in any hiring process, and this experience reiterated its significance. Screening out fake candidates not only delayed our recruitment timeline but also diverted attention from other critical tasks.   💡 This ordeal shed light on the invaluable role of quality IT staffing through BCT. By leveraging our hands on expertise, your company can streamline the hiring process, mitigating the risk of encountering counterfeit applicants. We possess the tools and know-how to identify genuine talent efficiently, saving both time and money in the process.   💼 Moving forward, it's imperative to recognize the importance of strategic partnerships with staffing agencies, like BCT. Our proficiency in candidate sourcing and screening can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the hiring process, ultimately contributing to the success of the organization.   Let's prioritize collaboration and innovation in our approach to talent acquisition, ensuring that we build teams poised for success in today's dynamic landscape. Together, we can navigate the challenges of recruitment and unlock opportunities for growth and advancement. Let us know how we can help in your staffing needs.   #Recruitment #TalentAcquisition #BCTRocks #RemoteHiring #FullStackDevelopment #HRInsights #fakecandidates #letsworktogether #howcanwehelp

11

5 Comments

This is going to sound controversial and opposite of what I generally do and post here, which is meant to inspire, encourage, and grow your career. PLEASE STOP DOING THIS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. Why? Well. 50k or so recruiters have been laid off. There’s a ton of competition in the market for every role. That’s not the problem here. The problem here is on the other end. Say you have one recruiter. That recruiter runs 15 jobs. One of which is a TA job opening. Within one hour of posting this job, there are over 1000 candidates. Do you think this person will ever see the “right fit” resume? NO. Why? Because people who are looking for work will apply to jobs they are not qualified for. Which only hurts the people who are qualified for that particular job. Recruiters are not just “recruiters.” We are all specialized. Especially the highly skilled recruiters and talent sourcers who were laid off first (because we got paid more and became an east target for the hatchet.) You guys—Tech itself easily has 10-15 different recruiting specializations. Not to mention sales, design, construction, high volume, rpo, accounting, legal, finance, healthcare, and the list goes on and on and on. I would never blame someone for sending in an application that they might in some small way have a tiny chance of qualifying for, but this stuff? It’s hurting all of us. Bigtime. And someone needs to say it. If, over the last 18 months, 18 recruiters comment that they got a job from one of these spam posts I’ll eat my foot on a live. Stop the insanity. Let us apply to what we are qualified for. Ps no this is not about me or my career. I’ve never applied to any jobs listed on a spam post like below. Because I know it’s the definition of insanity.

31

24 Comments

Letting a candidate know they aren’t moving forward is not a fun conversation… but there are ways to make it positive. Aside from feedback for continuous improvement, providing more context to what happened in the process is super helpful. I recently released a few candidates for a design engineer role. 330+ candidates did not make a screening call with me. 11 made it to a screening call and only 7 progressed into further stages. The candidates that learned how far they actually got left with a sense of gratitude and accomplishment even without a job offer. #interviewing #recruitment #TAtips

85

6 Comments

I've got a best practice I feel the need to share with all those active job seekers and the sporadic passive job seekers out there: save a copy of the job description when you apply to roles. It takes 10 seconds to copy/paste into a word document. Once you get into the habit, you'll realize the time it saves you. I've been in your shoes before, I had a file on my desktop with a folder of job descriptions - titled by Company - Req # - Job title, and also a Excel file with the application date, company, job title, and outcome... so any time I was contacted about a role I had applied to, I immediately could reference the job description at my finger tips. You won't have to try to do google searches to track a similar position down, you won't have to ask the recruiter for a copy of the job description, etc. Plus, if you get hired, you have a copy of the job description and expectations that you were hired for. Hope you find some value in the tip! #bestpractice #jobsearch #payitforward

179

18 Comments

Straight talk you might not always hear from a Recruiter. Volume is a problem. Those searching for jobs are challenged to apply to a 100 jobs per week. Meanwhile, recruiters, who should care about candidate experience, are pulling efficiency levers that maddeningly frustrate those they should want to build relationships with. Let me give you an example. A job post says you need 3+ years of experience with a specific software. An application question asks, "Do you have 3+ years of experience with [that specific software]?" You have more than 2, but less than 3. Even though you have far more experience in that line of work, you answer "No" because you are an honest person. That "No" triggers a decline because it's a knockout question based on if-this-then-that logic. It's frustrating, and all the more so when that decline note comes 30 seconds after the one that just thanked you for applying. That's not AI; that's lazy, and it's the opposite of people-first. Here's some other hard truths. When a role is advertised on a job board, the percentage of candidates that reach a final interview from that ad is often 2-3%. Referrals, on the other hand, often reach final rounds at 10x that rate. The same is true when a recruiter reaches out to you proactively. If you're playing the numbers game, invest a little less in the 100-applications-per-week challenge and a little more into networking and discoverablility. A well-framed, cold outreach to an executive often lands back in our court to respond to. Even when it doesn't net you the response you're looking for, it establishes communication. Recruiters still run references. If you're searching, or if you know someone who is, and you are asked to be a professional reference, fulfill the courtesy and then snag 2 minutes of our time. You just did us a solid by being helpful to our hiring; we'll repay the favor. Contract opportunities aren't always posted because recruiting teams often outsource them to agency partners. So, get to know our partners. Recruiters play a big role in designing the interview experience, but make no mistake, recruiting is a team sport. If the process changes dramatically, if the reason you're declined wasn't a requirement of the job, if your follow-up thank you is met with radio silence, that should tell you something about what it's like to work there. Hidden, whited-out keywords on your resume might work for those few shops that use the tech to index keywords, but when they're discovered using Ctrl + F by those that don't, those reviewing your resume will be skeptical and likely decline you. Looking for a weirdly fun way to network? LinkedIn just released games that are Wordle-like, with a networking aspect. It's an easy icebreaker if your connections also play. Use that as a fun way to reconnect. This market is crazy. But it's far less crazy when we value connection, and when we are authentic and empathetic, whether you're hiring for a job or you're looking for one.

112

15 Comments

A thought during this time of uncertainty: If you get InMail outreach from a recruiter for a new job today and don't plan to leave your current role -- share the name of someone you think is great who you know is looking. With role eliminations in tech and beyond, most of us are aware of people in the market who will be super employees for their next org. Help two people with one action: the recruiter and the job seeker. Both may be under a lot of pressure. "Hi there XX (recruiter)-- thanks so much for reaching out. I don't plan to leave my role, but I've worked with XX and think they could be a good match for what you need. I'd recommend that you reach out to them." I have committed to doing this for years and it feels great. It may be the most high impact action you take all week: -- your referral has a chance at a job that could be their next best career move -- the recruiter has a direct line to a great employee with a solid reference -- you have the potential to broaden your network and to pay forward a good deed You never know when you might be changing someone's life for the better.

348

23 Comments

Here's a list of remote TA roles.

2

Hiring Managers * HR Directors * People Operations -- I am seeing so many posts about candidates who are disillusioned by the multi-stage interview process, even for entry-level positions. Why? What is the nature of hiring that is causing such indecision? Is it that most interviews are remote? Is it that CEO's or People leaders are putting pressure on managers to do this? We still have at-will employment in the US. Many companies have grace/trial periods (typically 3 months). Why can't we trust our judgement and move to decision? Comments - How would you change the state of hiring today? What is the ideal number of remote interviews? Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash

3

4 Comments

Great Tips from Nausheen I. Chen! Thanks for the information.

7

2 Comments

When it comes to recruiting the best people, it all starts with top-notch recruiting emails. 🌟 I love this tip from my teammate Becca Scherff, Senior Recruiter at Calendly: “I like having an agenda on the booking page so people know what to expect. I let them know that I’ll call them at the number they provide, and we’ll start by discussing their background and interests before getting into role specifics. Letting them know it will be conversational makes the process less intimidating for candidates.” There are so many ways you can make the recruiting and meeting process smoother — for you, your team and interviewees. We're sharing our secrets here: https://calnd.ly/3LkLDTX

19

2 Comments

Recruiters asking your salary expectations right off the bat? Here’s the deal: they’re not trying to screw you over. Most companies operate within strict pay bands. Say a number too low? They'll likely still peg you within their set range, based on their comp strategies. Here's why this conversation matters: 1. Alignment: Not every company waves their salary flags. Knowing your number upfront helps recruiters gauge if there's even a ballpark fit before anyone wastes time. 2. Market Intel: Your salary expectation gives recruiters a pulse on what the market is paying for someone with your skills. 3. Negotiation Ammo: If you're a contender, they use this figure as a jumping-off point for offer talks. Expectations can evolve, especially as you learn more about the gig. Navigating this as a job hunter? A few pro tips: 👉 Need more info to name a price? Totally fair to punt this conversation until after you’ve chatted with the hiring manager. 👉 It's common practice for recruiters to ask early, but remember, you don’t have to spill your current salary. Heck, it’s illegal in some places for them to even ask. 👉 Throw out a range based on your research and what you think you're worth—not just the bare minimum. 👉 Dive into the company’s pay philosophy. Flip the script and ask what they’ve budgeted for the role. Set these expectations early. It'll save you from the gut-punch of a lowball offer after several interview rounds. #interviewing #interviews #careers

81

13 Comments

Syelo invests exclusively in early stage companies building recruiting software (not to be confused for HR tooling). Every company we have reviewed is building for internal recruiting teams never external. Why? With respect, the complexities, nuances, strategy, and day-to-day tasks are entirely different from one another. An internal teams core value is to systematize and uphold processes that scale. An external team is focused on filling head count. Recruiting Agencies have a TAM of $47b. Recruiting Software has a TAM of $300m. So why are so many founders hyper fixated on building software for companies? Pain. It is a lot harder to sell to agencies. A recruiting agency needs very little software/tooling to be effective and what currently exists works. They also have really tough margins (at scale) so convincing them that a product will 10x their output needs to be clear and effective. Businesses building recruiting departments have a variety of needs and nuances that complicates standardized processes so niche products/solutions find a fit in an already saturated market. In our humble opinion if you are looking to build a next generation company in the TA space you should be building for external recruiters first and foremost.

32

6 Comments

🚀 Exciting Times Ahead in Talent Acquisition! 🚀 🔍 Found myself flicking through LinkedIn and discovering a flurry of incredible TA leadership opportunities. From Twilio to Netflix, Calendly to Duolingo, to name a few I saw this week. 🤔 While I may not have the inside scoop on Twilio's VP of Talent role (kudos to our amazing exec recruiting team!) I promise to get back to all the messages! I've been brainstorming what a roadmap might look like If I were to apply for a Senior Leadership role in TA today. Here's a sneak peek into my playbook: 🔍 First 90 Days: The Audit Blitz >Dive deep into strategies, tools, and capabilities. >Connect with stakeholders and ALL recruiters to map out our landscape (think Venn diagrams!) What's working and what isn't? >Ensure TA's OKR's sync perfectly with our business mission. >Walk a mile in our candidates' shoes: experiencing the journey firsthand from application to onboarding. >Take all of the above and report to leadership. 🔧 90-180 Days: Building the Blueprint/Implementation >Craft, implement, and document our game plan. >Elevate the candidate experience to new heights. >Embrace automation to streamline our processes. >Develop a hiring roadmap rooted in robust workforce planning. 📈 180 Days and Beyond: Scaling for Success >Scale up, fine-tune, and expand our strategies. >Skyrocket hiring performance, elevate brand perception, and boost team morale. 💬 Calling all those in TA roles. Leadership anything you'd add? Recruiters, anything you'd like to see from leadership?

18

3 Comments

Many engineers are often taken aback when we start a call without reading bullet points from a job description. Instead, we dive straight into understanding who they are and what they aspire to achieve. As recruiters in the semiconductor industry, we understand that finding the right candidate goes beyond just evaluating skills and experience. By taking the time to understand aspirations and long-term goals, we can identify individuals who aren't just technically skilled, but also genuinely passionate about the work and committed to a long-term fit with the company!

4