Your Recruiter Lied to You (Not on Purpose)
Why recruiter promises carry zero weight in your performance review, and what to do instead
A few years ago, during a performance review, I gave one of my engineers a “meets expectation” rating.
He was not happy. He was expecting “exceeds expectation.”
After some back and forth, the real reason came out. The recruiter who brought him in had told him during the offer stage that he was certainly going to exceed expectations in his first year.
There was even a “promise” that promotion could come quicker than expected.
OK. I get it.
Most recruiters genuinely believe what they’re saying at the moment. They are excited about the candidate, and they want the deal to close.
But here’s the thing: Recruiters have no say in your performance evaluation. They have only one job: getting you to sign the offer. After that, their job is done.
Instead, the people who evaluate you are your manager and your peers. They are the people who work with you on a daily basis. They look at your contributions, communication, and ownership. They give you feedback and your manager provides a rating accordingly.
In addition, most managers don’t usually read the comments and messages during the hiring process. And even if they do, it won’t change anything.
So if you’re going into a new role with expectations set by your recruiter, here’s what to do instead:
Know a Recruiter’s Role
They’re hired to close candidates, not to evaluate your future performance. Take the compliments, then set them aside.
Bring that Energy to Your Manager Early
Bring it into the open. In your first 1-on-1, say something like: “I came in motivated to exceed expectations. How do I get there?” That’s a much better use of the recruiter’s words than holding onto them quietly and feeling let down six months later.
Alternatively, you can reference the recruiter directly in the same discussion, instead of doing that during the performance review.
At the end, I worked with that engineer to course-correct his expectations. He was frustrated for a few days, but bounced back. He actually got an “exceeds expectations” in the next round.
That’s the shift. The recruiter’s words can get you excited. Just make sure you’re directing that energy at the right person.
Before you go — a quick question.
I’m building a Performance Review Survival Guide. The goal is simple: help engineers understand what their managers are actually looking at during reviews, so their work stops getting overlooked.
It’s a short email course told from the manager’s perspective. What we look at. What gets counted. What most engineers miss.
That’s it for today!
See you in the next post.
Adler from Tokyo Tech Lead