Recruiter Case Study: Insights From An Ex-Meta Recruiter

This was a conversation with a recruiter who spent several years as a recruiter at Facebook (Meta) and Pinterest.

• The tactic of "I will sign the offer if you meet me here" is effective if it's sincere. You should be prepared to explore/defend various options around other ways the company could compel you to sign the offer.
• Exploding offers are almost always fake. Recruiters know that "time kills all deals" so they want to close candidates quickly. However, as a candidate, you can and should push back on an arbitrary deadline. Ask why the timing constraint exists and share why you need more time.
• Be graceful when you turn down a company's job offer. This recruiter would frequently be able to hire candidates several years later who had received an offer if they kept the relationship alive.