“We went to SourceCon last year.” Interrupting him mid sentence, I asked, “How was that?”

I always wanted to know if it was worth the cost. “Would I gain anything by attending the conference?”

His face hardened a bit, I could see from the tightness in his face muscles that he had not been impressed. “Do you remember that old Picasa trick you showed us a few years back?”

“Yeah, I still use it,” I replied.

“Most of the people at SourceCon didn’t know about it until I showed them. They were talking about image searches and sourcing techniques that kind of worked...some of the time.”

Interrupting him again, I asked, “Why don’t they reverse image search the person’s profile picture?”

He paused for a second, and then asked, “How do you upload the picture to Google?”

It’s simple - right click an image in Chrome and select “Search Google for Image.”

Just like this

People typically use the same username for most of their online profiles. Many use profile photos in the same way on websites, especially on websites that require a “professional” photo. Using this trick is another way to aggregate and find more information on a candidate.

We moved on and talked about how he searches Github. He uses a different technique than I do to generate similar results.

“Most recruiters don’t know how to hunt or source.”

I agreed with him.

“I came up with a challenge to screen recruiters before we interview them, to see if they can source or write.”

It’s hard to find recruiters who hunt for candidates to fill complex searches. Or recruiters who are willing to do the work to close hard-to-fill jobs.

Filling complex searches by sourcing highly technical candidates in the Silicon Valley is how we built our careers as recruiters.

“What’s your challenge like?” he asked.

“It’s pretty straight forward. You have to dig up contact information for one of the two sample candidates I provide. And then write a few sample cold emails.”

See Challenge Here

The results tell you more about each recruiter candidate than you will learn from their resume or LinkedIn. In my experience, not one recruiter has solved for the more difficult profile (#2).

Tricks aren’t the secret to success in recruiting.

Recruiters were successful before the internet, it’s here today but websites come and go. Most candidates don’t have phones at their desks anymore and very few return voicemails.

Some candidates aren’t on the big websites, other candidates try to minimize or hide their information. Everything changes. It doesn’t matter.

None of this matters.

The key to success is approaching every attempt with humility. With each new attempt you can continue learning, if you are open to it.

. . .

This post is a new attempt. The truth is, I needed to escape writer’s block.

Our conversation was fresh in my mind.

In a recent interview, Mike Posner said, “I take a lot of pride in shedding skins like a snake.”.

I have been keeping my “tricks” contained to a small circle or myself. Wearing a “skin” or mask allows you to hide things or to be FAKE. No one knows the truth except you.

The mask protects at first, but the longer you wear it, the mask causes damage and hurts you.

If you try to grow beyond the mask, you won’t be able to tell your “real skin” from the mask. You can’t grow beyond its shape and size.

You have to rip the fake skin off and break the mask from the inside.

Notice how I said and not or...

You have to rip the fake skin off AND break the mask from the inside.

Do both.

. . .  

Clinton Buelter is a senior technical recruiter, author, and the founder of www.coldemailforrecruiters.com - a popular website for recruiters who want to improve their cold email and recruiting skills.