Engineering Hiring Channels Compared

Pros

• Access to passive candidates not on job boards
• Pre-screened candidates save interview time
• Recruiter manages the logistics and scheduling
• Placement guarantees (typically 90 days) reduce re-hire risk

Cons

• High fee: 20-25% of first-year salary for senior roles
• Recruiters work multiple clients so candidates may be shopping around
• Quality varies significantly between recruiting firms
• Less control over candidate experience and messaging

Pros

• Lower cost than external recruiters
• High inbound volume generates broad candidate pool
• Fast to set up and publish
• Good for brand visibility even if roles are not filled

Cons

• High volume of unqualified applications requires significant screening time
• Most senior engineers are not actively browsing job boards
• Job board algorithms can reduce visibility without paid promotion
• In-house sourcing and screening requires dedicated recruiter time

Pros

• Fastest time-to-fill of any channel
• Highest quality-to-cost ratio in most studies
• Referred candidates tend to stay longer (lower first-year churn)
• Strengthens culture fit as employees vouch for their network

Cons

• Limited volume: depends entirely on current employee networks
• Can create homogenous teams if not balanced with other channels
• Referral bonus programmes need active promotion to drive volume
• Risk of cliques or nepotism without strong referral screening

Pros

• Reaches passive candidates without paying recruiter fees
• Full control over messaging and candidate experience
• Builds long-term talent pipeline for future roles
• GitHub and open source contributions provide signal beyond CVs

Cons

• Time-intensive: requires a skilled in-house technical sourcer
• Response rates to cold outreach are typically 15-25%
• Longer time-to-fill than recruiter model
• LinkedIn Recruiter licences are expensive ($10k-$15k/year)