Recruiter Response

Never ask about salary in initial outreach when:

• Job posting says "competitive", "top of market" comp
• It's an early-stage startup (seed to Series B)
• A founder is reaching out directly
• You haven't demonstrated value yet

Why this is a mistake:

1. Shows you're more interested in money than the mission
2. Signals transactional mindset
3. Reveals your hand before you have leverage
4. Puts you in weaker negotiating position

The Correct Strategy

WRONG: Ask salary -> Get answer -> Decide to invest effort
RIGHT: Evaluate company -> Invest effort -> Crush assignment -> THEN negotiate

Your leverage is HIGHEST after they want you, not before.

See NEGOTIATION_STRATEGY.md for full details.

Workflow

Step 1: Screen the Position

Evaluate against requirements:

Quick Qualification Check

Industry Screen

Hard No (Immediate Decline):

• Major Banks (traditional banking)
• Government / Federal Contractors
• Defense / Military Contractors
• Traditional Insurance
• Gambling / Tobacco
• Speculative Crypto/Web3

Proceed with Caution:

• Healthcare (innovative healthtech OK)
• Fintech (modern fintech with good culture OK)
• Big Tech/FAANG (only if specific team is exceptional)

High Interest:

• AI/ML platforms and tools
• Developer tools and infrastructure
• B2B SaaS
• E-commerce / marketplace platforms

Step 2: Determine Response Type

Path A: Express Interest

Use when:

• Passes all MUST HAVE criteria
• Industry is acceptable
• Role aligns with target positions
• No red flags

Path B: Polite Decline

Use when:

• Fails any MUST HAVE criterion
• Industry is excluded
• Role doesn't match
• Multiple red flags

Step 3: Draft the Response

Response Templates

Template A: Interested Response

## Recruiter Message - [Date]

[Paste recruiter's message here]

---

## My Response - [Date]

Hey [Recruiter First Name],

[Opening line acknowledging something specific from their message]

[1-2 sentences on what caught your attention about the role]

Before I jump on a call, a few things I'd want to understand:

1. [Specific question about team, culture, or technical work]
2. [Question about growth or impact]
3. [Question about company stage or direction]

[Optional: Brief context on what you're looking for if relevant]

Happy to chat if these align. What works for you?

[Your name]

Template B: Polite Decline

## Recruiter Message - [Date]

[Paste recruiter's message here]

---

## My Response - [Date]

Hey [Recruiter First Name],

Thanks for reaching out - I appreciate you thinking of me for this.

After looking at the role, I don't think it's the right fit for where I'm focused right now. [Optional: One honest sentence about why without being negative]

I'm keeping my search focused on [brief description: e.g., "fully remote senior/staff roles at growth-stage companies building AI-native products"].

If something like that comes across your desk, I'd love to hear about it. Thanks again, and good luck finding the right person for this one.

[Your name]

Template C: Assignment Response (Confident)

Thanks for sending this over - I'm excited to dig in.

[Optional: Personal context that humanizes and creates connection]

I'll have the completed assignment to you by [specific date].

Looking forward to showing you what I can build.

Voice Guidelines

Core Principles

Peer-Level, Not Supplicant

• You're evaluating them as much as they're evaluating you
• Confident without being arrogant
• Ask questions that show you're discerning

Authentic and Direct

• No corporate-speak or hollow enthusiasm
• Say what you actually think
• Express genuine interest or genuine hesitation honestly

Warm but Efficient

• Recruiters are busy, respect their time
• Get to the point after brief warmth
• Use contractions naturally

Signature Phrases

Opening warmth:

• "Thanks for reaching out - this caught my attention."
• "Appreciate you thinking of me for this."
• "This is interesting, and I have a few questions."

Expressing interest with hedging:

• "I'm curious about..."
• "What I'd want to understand better is..."
• "The [specific work] sounds compelling, but I'd need to know more about..."

Polite decline pivots:

• "I appreciate you thinking of me, but this one isn't quite the right fit."
• "After looking at this, I don't think it's the right match for where I'm focused."
• "I'm going to pass on this one, but I'd love to stay connected."

Closing:

• "Happy to jump on a quick call if you can share more on [specific question]."
• "Let me know, and we can find a time to chat."
• "Thanks again - good luck finding the right person for this."

What NOT to Do

• No excessive enthusiasm ("I'm SO excited!!!")
• No groveling or over-thanking
• No buzzword-stuffing
• No generic templates that could apply to any job
• No asking questions you could answer from the JD
• No profanity in recruiter communications

Output Format

{
  "response_id": "string",
  "recruiter_name": "string",
  "company": "string",
  "role": "string",
  "first_contact": "ISO8601",
  "status": "interested | declined | pending",
  "screening": {
    "remote": { "pass": true, "note": "string" },
    "salary": { "pass": true, "note": "string" },
    "industry": { "pass": true, "tier": "1 | 2 | 3 | excluded" },
    "role_fit": { "pass": true, "note": "string" }
  },
  "recommendation": "express_interest | decline | ask_clarification",
  "response_draft": "string (markdown)",
  "files": {
    "conversation": "path/to/recruiter_thread.md"
  }
}

File Format

# Conversation with [Recruiter Name] - [Company Name]

**Recruiter**: [Full Name]
**Company**: [Company Name]
**Role**: [Job Title]
**First Contact**: [Date]
**Status**: [Interested / Declined / Pending]

---

## Screening Summary

| Criterion | Status | Notes |
|-----------|--------|-------|
| Remote | [check] | [details] |
| Salary | [check] | [details] |
| Industry | [check] | [details] |
| Role Fit | [check] | [details] |

**Recommendation**: [Express Interest / Decline / Ask for Clarification]

---

## Message Thread

### Recruiter Message - [Date]

[Original message]

---

### My Response - [Date]

[Your drafted response]

---

Questions to Ask When Interested

Technical & Product

• "What's the current tech stack, and is there room to influence it?"
• "What does success look like in the first 6 months?"
• "Are there other engineers working on this, or would I be building from scratch?"

Culture & Team

• "How does the company handle parental leave and flexibility?"
• "Can you tell me about the engineering culture?"
• "What's the leadership style like?"

Company Health

• "How is the company funded, and what's the runway look like?"
• "What's the team's turnover been like in the last year?"
• "Why is this role open - is it new or a backfill?"

Supporting Files

• NEGOTIATION_STRATEGY.md - Full negotiation guidance and timing

Quality Checklist

Screening

• Checked all MUST HAVE criteria
• Identified industry category correctly
• Assessed role fit
• Noted any red flags

Response Quality

• Personalized to specific message
• Uses natural, authentic voice
• Questions are specific and thoughtful
• Appropriate length
• No excessive enthusiasm or groveling
• Closes with clear next step

File Management

• Checked for existing conversation file
• File naming follows convention
• Status is accurate