The JobQuest Podcast · Don't search for a job. Embark on your job quest!

Working with a recruiter is a two-way street

·39 min·2 clips

Joanne says 90% of placements come from people she and her team already know.

1. The JobQuest Podcast episode centers on working with a recruiter as a two-way street, with Joanne Weaver arguing that job seekers and recruiters both need to keep the relationship active. 2. Host Ryan introduces Joanne Weaver as the first recruiter ever on JobQuest, and Joanne matters because she runs the Joanne Weaver Group with Rebecca Levy. 3. The episode asks what recruiters actually do, how candidates should approach them, and when a recruiter adds value to a job search. 4. Joanne defines a recruiter as “a go between” between a company client and a candidate, and she distinguishes internal recruiters from outside recruiters like her agency. 5. She says the Joanne Weaver Group works across UX design, product design, content design, user research, product management, and some software engineering. 6. She explains that her team uses LinkedIn research, a 20,000-candidate database, and referrals to find people who fit each role. 7. Joanne says her placements often come from people she already knows, and she cites referral bonuses of up to $1,000 for long-term placements. 8. She describes how the team starts with a persona for each role, builds target-company lists, and screens people for domain fit such as insurance, fintech, or startup experience. 9. She says the process includes 30-minute phone screens, in-depth notes, detailed interview prep, thank-you notes, and follow-through through the offer stage. 10. Joanne explains that clients reach out when they have an open role, need a specialist, or want guidance on what to hire next. 11. She says candidates should contact her when they are ready to move, thinking about a move, unhappy in a role, or dealing with layoffs. 12. Joanne says the recruiter’s job is to hear a candidate’s dreams and ambitions so she can make the “correct matches.” 13. She says the market has been “really scary” since 2023, especially because layoffs at big companies changed what people think is stable. 14. Joanne contrasts old assumptions about stable large employers with the uncertainty created by layoffs at companies that once felt secure. 15. She argues that remote work during the pandemic changed candidates’ expectations and made career transitions and location changes feel more possible. 16. Joanne recommends job seekers focus on jobs where they are an “85 or above” match rather than sending resumes to 100 places through an “apply now button.” 17. She says networking works better when people think about what they can give, not only what they can get, and she gives an example of helping another lost person at an event. 18. Joanne says strong candidate communication includes a findable resume, a visible phone number, easy portfolio access, quick replies, and short, specific messages. 19. The tone is practical and conversational, with Ryan asking broad job-search questions and Joanne answering in long, experience-heavy explanations. 20. People in UX, design, product, or job search mode will get the most from this episode, while listeners wanting a fast, high-level overview may skip it.

As heard by us

A grounded look at recruiting as matching, judgment, and specialist help on both sides.

Working with a recruiter is framed as a two-way process, and the discussion stays centered on how matches are actually made. Joanne Weaver moves between the candidate side and the client side, showing how recruiters help people clarify what they want, what they can offer, and…

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Hear how recruiters think when your search needs more than a resume drop.

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