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A note to recruiters

This is a brief guide for recruiters complementing my resume and what I am like to work with.

Please don't waste your or my time. I realise you have quotas to make and clients to please, but I'd rather it go well for all parties. If in doubt, pass.

Include the company name

The vast majority of the time, I already know all about the company and am not interested. Being coy won't change my mind.

You have already had the opportunity to investigate me comprehensively. I want that same opportunity to see how the company presents itself, who the customers are, what problems are solved, and technical requirements.

If you have some issue about not getting paid if I find out who the company is or other trust issues with your clients then I certainly don't want to get involved.

Startup/small company

I really mean this. A company with 60,000 employees and $40 billion in revenue founded in 1982 does not count. Employees measured in thousands and revenues in billions do not count either. FAANG members really don't count.

All the employees fitting in a small room with up to a few million in revenue or funding is good. To understand why this matters:

Large groups

As any group of people gets larger, they get collectively slower, collectively less effective, collectively less creative, and decision making and feedback loops take longer. Some companies try hard to mitigate the rate at which it happens but it always happens.

Compound interest

The earlier I am involved the more of an effect I can have and the more that affects things down the line. Being the 60,001st person isn't going to make a dent, but being the 6th sure will.

Commitment to success

I am the sort of person who wants to make the company successful. I always want more for the products and customers. I don't argue about the glass being half full or half empty, but rather that we should have a much bigger glass and fill that!

Who cares about the customers?

Larger companies go out of their way to avoid their customers. Some avoid their customers so much that they find other companies to do the talking and find this so important that they then use the lowest bidder. It does not get good results. Others just don't talk to you at all. I never want to treat people like this.

I like the customers being close. They are using your products, or wanting to. They ultimately pay your salary. They have ideas. They put things in perspective. They find flaws in product or assumptions. Putting as many obfuscating layers between them and the product creators as possible is a really silly thing to do (see slow and less effective above). This is the right kind of thing to do.

I should know that

Some emails have included long explanations of what various industry topics are. If I am not already familiar with them and unable to look them up, then you certainly wouldn't want to hire me. I certainly would not want to work for a company that hires people who aren't familiar with them and can't look them up!

Send us your updated resume

It is right here and up to date.

Update your entry in our database

I didn't put an entry in your database.

Call me

I'd be happy to. But first I want to make sure the company, products, people and position are at least appropriate and worthwhile. I don't want to waste your or my time.

Contact me