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Ask HN: How to solicit resumes when not actively hiring

3 points by monkey26 ↗ HN
We currently have a list of open job positions that are not open. The idea is to keep some resumes coming in as we might find a diamond. But showing these positions as open doesn't sit well with me.

What's a good way, or a good example to encourage people to apply if they think they'd be an asset to our team even if we have no real open positions that fit them?

12 comments

[ 3.0 ms ] story [ 36.9 ms ] thread
dewey
It's fairly common to have a "If you think you are a good fit, even if there's no open position, feel free to still contact us" line on the job pages.

If that will get you a good number of results is the other question.

rrwo
I've seen a lot of companies have a jobs section on their websites that talk about what great places they are to work, and the kinds of skills they are looking for along with an email address for people submit resumes.

But I myself wouldn't submit anything to a company this way unless someone at the company suggested it.

And I suspect that people who send their resumes this way are either junior developers looking for job, or developers who are desperate for a new job. So I'm not sure how many diamonds you might get.

ksaj
How long do you plan to hold onto their data? Are you going to continue contact to ensure they're still interested? Are you burdening them to tell you repeatedly over the months down the road that they are still interested (or not)? Kinda like a newsletter they have to sign up for?

You are basically describing a head hunting operation. Connect with a head hunter and let them do the vetting, instead of wasting so many people's time for a job that is going to be 20 levels away.

You have the gig, or you don't. Or you're a headhunter for a single job that maybe might be available some time way out in the future. That would be a waste of everyone's time.

monkey26
We try to get back to them asap with a message along the lines that they don't have the skills we're looking for right now, but will keep them in mind for a few months should things change.

We've yet to catch a superstar with this strategy.. I wouldn't even call it a strategy. At one time we did have these positions open and ready to fill, we just never took them down after filling, just to see what trickles in.

ksaj
I still say, only as opinion of course, do not pretend you are hiring when you aren't. What you are doing is collecting personal information under the guise of a potential gig that does not exist. There is a clear moral aspect, and a clear legal one besides.

Doing this for people who applied for, but didn't get, the real job is fine. Continuing to do it when the job is no longer available is a kind of surveillance.

stevenalowe
Do not lie to applicants. Ever. Ads for jobs that don’t exist are false advertising (IANAL) that may cause legal issues.

If you’re always hunting for unicorns, say so, but IMO collecting resumes “just in case” is a waste of everyone’s time, and collecting them under false pretenses is way worse.

monkey26
Thing is, if that applicant comes in that we just can’t refuse then we might create an opening. Which kind of goes back to my original question.
stevenalowe
Fake job ads undermine credibility. If you feel you must advertise, post a generic Are You Our Next Rockstar? ad that is up-front about resume fishing.

Gotta wonder though, what thing X would you do with such a 'hero' if they appeared, and why aren't you doing X already, upskilling the people you have in the process?

This feels like a magical-thinking policy not a strategic one? If there's no clear goal for the continuous search, don't do it; it wastes everyone's time. If there is, advertise that job instead.

Good luck!

pyb
Don't do it, it's not good behaviour. Or be extremely clear that you're just fishing.
endisneigh
If you don't have an open position why are you wasting your teams time by soliciting and reviewing them. Do you and your team not have better things to do? If you do actually need or desire another "diamond", why not actively recruit?
joshxyz
might find a diamond but how will you find if its a diamond if you wont actively interview it lol, im confused maybe you really need to hire, just admit it?
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