The tech industry had been booming until the pandemic hit in early 2020. A decline in tech-related jobs ensued — estimates show that 333,000 tech jobs were lost in 2022 and 2023, according to layoffs.fyi. Recruiters and HR roles were especially hard hit as big companies such as Meta and Amazon revealed these roles had been impacted during the period.
In this time of uncertainty for tech recruiters, there’s one major takeaway, according to Tomas Kelly (ex-recruiting manager, cloud customer experience at Google), Justin Kok (a tech recruiter laid off from Visa in 2020, now at Splunk) and Jaya Dass (the regional managing director of permanent recruitment at Randstad): Don’t focus too much on the perfect answer during an interview and stop sending generic ChatGPT cover letters.
i. Tomas Kelly’s Advice:
With the wider and deeper cuts in the tech sector, Kelly suggests looking beyond tech. He also advises to take advantage of LinkedIn and look for referrals within networks when on the job hunt. Most importantly, he urges jobseekers to focus on their thought process when answering problem-solving questions during interviews instead of memorizing the perfect answer.
ii. Justin Kok’s Advice:
When it comes to job hunting, Kok’s top tip is to reach out to one’s network. His second tip is to not make the mistake of being overly pushy and to make sure to have a sincere story behind why a person is looking for a new job.
iii. Jaya Dass’s Advice:
Dass encourages recruiters to avoid attempting positions or industries they have no track-record in. She mentions the importance of adding stories to résumés and being passionate when it comes to selecting employers.
At the end of the day, recruiters are encouraged to remain positive, look out for opportunities and make use of their network. Doing so during times like this will help them land their dream job.
