Beyond the Black Hole: Making Meaningful Connections with Tech Recruiters in 2025

In our latest Wellfound 'Ask a Recruiter' Q&A event, "Beyond the Black Hole: Connecting with Tech Recruiters in 2025," we hosted Katy Peichert, a strategic talent leader with over 14 years of experience in tech recruitment and people operations across the globe. Currently serving as Global Talent at Front and running fractional leadership services as a solopreneur, Katy shared valuable insights on how candidates can effectively connect with recruiters in today's competitive tech landscape.

With experience building and leading global talent teams at companies including BRYTER, The Workshop, SoundCloud, and Native Instruments, Katy brings a truly global perspective to talent acquisition. A psychologist by education and an HR professional by dedication, she specializes in designing seamless candidate and employee experiences that help tech startups scale strategically.

Here's the full video of the Q&A session:

Action Items for Job Seekers

Based on Katy's advice, here are the key areas candidates should focus on to improve their job search effectiveness:

Cultivate adaptability - Demonstrate your ability to shift priorities quickly and embrace change
Develop strategic thinking - Show how you connect daily tasks to larger business objectives
Tell impact stories - Even without metrics, prepare narratives about your contributions
Personalize outreach - Research companies deeply and tailor your messages to recruiters
Be concise yet specific - Keep communications brief but include relevant details
Optimize online presence - Update Wellfound and other profiles with targeted keywords
Join industry communities - Engage in relevant Slack/Discord channels before you need them
Time your applications - Target newly posted positions for better visibility
Prepare contextual explanations - For employment gaps or short stints, focus on learnings
Follow-up thoughtfully - Show determination through respectful follow-ups

Key Takeaways from Katy's Q&A Session

The Most Valuable Non-Technical Skills in Today's Market

When asked about the most in-demand non-technical skills, Katy emphasized adaptability as crucial in today's rapidly changing landscape:

"Adaptability, adaptability and pragmatism, whatever role you are in," Katy explained. "I know that sometimes in professions like engineering and product, striving for perfection goes somehow in opposition to being fast and the company's asking you to change priorities of your work very quickly."

She highlighted how the external landscape and economy are changing dramatically, requiring professionals to be flexible in their approaches. For example, Katy shared her own experience of shifting from leading corporate teams to starting her own business:

"The job landscape was so dynamic, to put it nicely, so changing and so competitive. I think I couldn't have made a better choice."

Beyond adaptability, strategic thinking is becoming increasingly valuable:

"The second [skill] is strategic thinking," she noted. "It's about understanding the difference between strategic and tactical, and knowing when to apply each approach. Whatever you do, think about the bigger picture. Consider the context of where you're presenting, where you're interviewing, and what could be the bigger problem to solve rather than just focusing on day-to-day tasks."

Quantifying Impact Without Metrics

For candidates struggling to demonstrate impact in previous roles without quantifiable data, Katy offered practical advice:

"You don't have to present everything in a quantified way," she advised. "Focus on being clear and concise in your communication. When showcasing your experience, reflect on the impact you had on products, team initiatives, or processes you were involved with, even if you can't attach specific numbers to them."

She suggested gathering praise messages from managers, colleagues, or stakeholders:

"I would always gather these quotes and try to think...what it actually meant for the business, and that particular situation."

Katy cautioned against overusing numbers just for the sake of appearing data-driven:

"Be careful with the numbers if you can't tell really the story that is behind those numbers and what was the impact. So I wouldn't also overuse it in your CV unless you can explain it very well."

Standing Out to Tech Recruiters in 2025

In today's AI-driven recruitment environment, Katy advised treating AI tools as enhancements rather than solutions:

"Treat the AI tools like an enhancement, as a friend. It's great for research and starting out, but don't think this is the solution for everything."

She acknowledged the challenges recruiters face with increased application volumes:

"If you get constant rejections, if you don't get through, it's not about you. It's not that you are not worth, or that the competition is so fierce. It's mostly that the recruiting teams are really swamped."

For making meaningful connections, Katy emphasized the importance of personalized outreach:

"Starting with reaching out to company recruiters – keep the message specific," she recommended. "If you reach out to a recruiter or a hiring manager, bear in mind that you are probably not the only person. So be also mindful about their time."

She suggested researching the company thoroughly and potentially creating relevant case studies:

"Research a company, research what they do, come up even with a case study or something that would be relevant. I know it's extra work, but it will also put you upfront from other candidates."

Connecting with Recruiters Effectively

For candidates wondering how to approach recruiters they haven't connected with before, Katy stressed being direct and concise:

"Be mindful about everyone's time," she advised. "On a daily basis, I would get many connection requests, and if they are not specific, I usually ignore them."

Katy suggested a straightforward approach: "I'm [Name], I'm interested in your engineering opportunities. Can you share any insights about the roles you are currently hiring for? That's a good starter."

When it comes to following up after applications, Katy encouraged persistence:

"I have nothing against if a candidate follows up. I think it speaks for the motivation and determination," she shared. "Do follow up. I don't see any red flags with that."

Addressing Employment Gaps and Short Stints

For candidates with multiple short job experiences due to startup failures, Katy recommended focusing on growth rather than circumstances:

"Instead of just explaining that you had bad luck with failing startups, highlight what you gained from those experiences," she advised. "As a recruiter, I want to know what you learned during that time and the impact you made, even if your tenure was brief."

She suggested adding brief contextual notes on your resume: "Some candidates include short explanations in parentheses next to job entries that clarify transitions, such as '(company restructuring)' or '(startup ceased operations).' This helps make your career path more understandable to recruiters at a glance."

Navigating the One-Page Resume Debate

On the topic of resume length, Katy offered a balanced perspective:

"One-pager CVs are elegant, they are easy to read, they are sort of the new norm. But if you have tons of experience and it's all relevant and you go to two or sometimes even three pages, it's also okay," she explained.

The key considerations are relevance and brevity: "Please don't put five or ten pages."

Opportunities for Generalists in a Specialist Market

For "full stack" professionals concerned about competing with specialists, Katy offered reassurance:

"I don't see a problem in itself being a generalist. I see it as something valuable," she explained. "That sort of Swiss army knife mentality to me is very valuable as well as being pragmatic."

She noted that while many companies have become more conservative with headcount, requiring senior specialists, there's still significant value in professionals who can adapt across different areas:

"Today you might be hired for a front-end leaning role, but maybe there is another project in six to 12 months that will require you to learn DevOps or anything else."

Breaking Into Tech from Non-Tech Backgrounds

For professionals from non-tech backgrounds looking to transition into the tech industry, Katy offered practical guidance on leveraging transferable skills:

She shared that she hired people with communications backgrounds into tech companies and said, "The key is to research thoroughly and adapt your existing portfolio to highlight skills relevant to the tech industry."

Katy recommended these specific strategies for non-tech professionals:

Study the industry language: Learn the terminology and communication style specific to tech
Adapt your portfolio: Reframe previous work to demonstrate relevance to tech challenges
Highlight transferable skills: Emphasize universal skills like problem-solving, stakeholder management, and project delivery
Show tech curiosity: Demonstrate your interest by taking courses or completing relevant certifications
Network strategically: Connect with professionals who have made similar transitions

"In many ways, your fresh perspective can be valuable," Katy noted. "Tech companies increasingly recognize that diverse professional backgrounds bring new thinking to common challenges."

Final Thoughts: The Recruiter's Perspective

Katy closed by reminding candidates that recruiters are allies in the hiring process:

"Recruiters are more on the candidate side. So if you're going through the funnel, we are here for you. We're cheering for you."

She encouraged candidates to ask recruiters questions about the process, the company culture, or the hiring manager: "Ask us anything, really. Don't be shy."

By approaching tech recruitment with preparation, strategic thinking, and meaningful personalization, candidates can navigate the competitive 2025 job market more effectively. Katy's insights highlight the importance of not just technical skills but also adaptability, storytelling, and building genuine connections in today's evolving tech hiring landscape.