Main image of article What Technologists Do (and Don’t) Want From Recruiters

Sometimes, it’s an email. It may also be a cold call, or a social media message. Whatever the delivery method, recruiters find a way to reach technologists like you in an effort to recruit you for a new position. A new study shows what piques your interest, and what makes you want to ignore those calls.

Hired’s annual “Global Brand Health Report” has a lot of interesting tidbits about tech companies, but also dives into how technologists end up at those firms. In a completely shocking turn of events, cash still rules everything around us: 53 percent of respondents say compensation powers their decision to accept job offers, outpacing company culture (42 percent), the opportunity to learn new skills (39 percent), benefits (26 percent), and a defined career trajectory and growth opportunities (26 percent).

Income being the first thought we have about a job is not surprising. Hired’s report also notes that 71 percent of technologists want to know the salary range for a position up-front. This group says knowing what they’ll make straight away encourages them to interact with recruiters. Similarly, they want to work for recognizable companies, and are more likely to engage with recruiters who send personalized messages.

So, what keeps technologists away? In a nutshell, obfuscation and opacity. Hired writes “when reaching out to candidates, companies should share full details about the company mission and product upfront, including key features on the product roadmap to showcase their overall vision. It’s also valuable for tech talent to hear about the lasting impact the technology will have on potential customers or the world at large.”

Hired found 49 percent of technologists queried in their study say they turn down job opportunities because they’re simply not interested in the company’s product. Forty-three percent will refuse an offer from a company with a poor reputation, while 41 percent say a lack of knowledge about a company dissuades them from accepting or entertaining a position. Around 41 percent will sour on a job if they’re not interested in the company mission, while 34 percent are most concerned with company culture.

If we’re distilling these findings, one concept jumps out: culture. Though income will always be the main motivating factor, the rest of Hired’s findings can be attributed to company culture. Even benefits can be a reflection of a company’s culture. Netflix is a great example; it set a standard for parental leave, which earned it high marks from onlookers. Not coincidentally, Netflix ranks second (behind Google) in this survey for which public companies technologists most want to work for.