If I had a dollar for every time an engineering leader came to me saying, “I don’t need coaching, I just need someone to help me find my next job”, I could retire tomorrow.
Let’s clear something up: recruiters do not find jobs for people.
That’s not their job. That’s not who pays them. That’s not the incentive structure they operate in.
Recruiters find people for jobs, not jobs for people. And if you miss that distinction, you’ll set yourself up for frustration in your job search.
Here’s what every engineering leader needs to understand:
By the way, not everything I see in engineering leadership is “safe” for LinkedIn. That’s why I write NSFL rants and trench notes only for my inner circle. If you want the real stories and insights, subscribe here.
#1 – The Recruiter’s Client Is Not You
A recruiter works for the company. Period.
The company pays the fee. The company creates the job spec. The company is the customer.
So yes, a great recruiter might care about you as a person — but the system is designed for them to care about placing someone in an open role. If you happen to be that person, awesome. If not, they’ll move on.
Want the audio / video format of this? Watch below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63mHUywRbFU
#2 – You Don’t Need a Recruiter… You Need Many
When people say, “I’m looking for a recruiter to help me,” I know they don’t understand how the game works.
There isn’t a magical recruiter out there whose job is to be your personal talent agent. That person doesn’t exist.
If recruiters are part of your strategy, you need to build relationships with lots of them. Treat it like networking. The more touchpoints, the more chances you’ll overlap with a live opportunity.
#3 – Recruiters Are Only One Slice of the Pie
Even at the executive level, only a fraction of roles come through recruiters.
The majority of opportunities are unlocked through your network. Conversations. Referrals. Relationships.
So yes, leverage recruiters as one spoke in the wheel, but don’t mistake them for the whole strategy. If all you’re doing is waiting for one recruiter to call, you’re leaving 80%+ of your opportunities untouched.
#4 – Coaching Solves a Different Problem
This is where the recruiter vs. coach conversation gets interesting.
A coach doesn’t “place” you into a job. What I do is equip you with the clarity, courage, and strategy to own your search and accelerate the outcome.
If you’re acting out of desperation, coaching helps you slow down, refocus, and make smart decisions.
If you feel isolated, coaching connects you with community and perspective.
If your confidence is shot, coaching rebuilds it so you show up strong in every interview and networking call.
If you want more than just a new job — if you want a lifestyle upgrade — coaching helps you design that vision and go get it.
Recruiters can’t do that for you. It’s not their role.
Let me leave you with this
Recruiters are not your agent. They will not hustle day and night to find you a job. They’re paid by companies to fill open roles. Full stop.
So stop expecting a recruiter to hand you your dream role on a platter.
Instead:
- Build relationships with recruiters (plural).
- Invest in coaching if you want to accelerate and maximize your transition.
- Most of all, take ownership of your career strategy — don’t outsource it.
Because the truth is, your next opportunity won’t come from “a recruiter.” It’ll come from you showing up with clarity, confidence, and the right system.
And that’s exactly what we do together.
I help engineering leaders design a career strategy that actually works — one that gets you out of stagnation and into the roles and lifestyle you want faster.
If you’ve been relying on recruiters or job boards and not getting traction, let’s change that.
👉 Book a quick career growth audit with me here
We’ll look at where you’re stuck, what’s missing in your approach, and map the next best step for you.
No pressure, just clarity.
Have you ever relied too heavily on recruiters in a job search? What happened? Share in the comments.
