The State of Trust
Engineers & Recruiters
We asked 4,040 developers why they ignore recruiters.
The answer isn't what you think.
The Big Picture
Talent isn't scarce.
Attention is.
You have the tools. You have the budget. But without trust, you have zero leverage. The old playbook of "spray and pray" is dead.
80% of developers are open to opportunities. But 43% have muted you. The sourcing game is over; the attention game has begun.
Recruiter Takeaway
Stop optimizing filters. Start optimizing value. The candidates are there—they just don't trust you enough to reply.
The Bottom Line
"This isn't a sourcing problem.
It's a trust problem."
"We want to skip the business BS and just have an honest conversation"
— Senior Backend Engineer
The Disconnect
The Great Disconnect
It’s a paradox. Demand is at an all-time high. Willingness to move is at 80%. Yet, response rates are flatlining. You are shouting into a void because the channel has been blocked.
Recruiter Takeaway
Developers aren't ignoring jobs—they're ignoring us. The problem isn't the role. It's the medium.
The signal is strong, but the connection is broken.
The Trust Gap
You're Starting at Zero
Cold outreach isn't just annoying—it's suspect. You aren't starting from neutral. You're starting from negative.
The average trust score for a recruiter is a dismal 2.5 out of 5. That means the default reaction to your message isn't curiosity. It's skepticism.
Recruiter Takeaway
You are starting from a deficit. You have to earn the right to be read in the first 3 seconds.
Average Trust Score
2.5
/ 5.0Reality Check: Cold outreach starts in the deficit. You have to climb out to be heard.
"Are recruiters generally doing a good job?"
6 out of 10 developers say NO.
The Killers
How We Got Here
The Spam Cannon
Developers can spot a template instantly. When everything looks like spam, nothing gets read. The "spray and pray" method didn't just fail—it poisoned the well.
Top Dealbreaker
"Looks like generic spam" — 40%
Takeaway
Quality beats quantity. Every time.
Feel Copy-Pasted
Suspect AI
Resume Tunnel Vision
You're sourcing from LinkedIn. Developers are building elsewhere. 64% say LinkedIn only shows their past, not their potential. You're judging them on outdated data.
Takeaway
Look at their GitHub and portfolio. That's where the truth is.
Where real skills live
The Competence Gap
When you don't speak the language, you lose credibility immediately. If you can't explain the tech stack, you can't sell the role.
Developer Quote
"Java is not like JavaScript, and the senior and lead is not the same thing."
Takeaway
Learn the basics of the stack before reaching out.
Technical Understanding
Average Score
Recruiter Competence
Only 15% understand the role
Most developers feel misunderstood.
The Playbook
The Protocol for Trust
Signal vs. Noise
Developers told us exactly what they want. It's not a mystery. If you want a reply, you need to provide high-signal data immediately.
Stop Hiding the Salary
69% want salary in the first message.
19% will ignore you immediately without it.
Takeaway
Include the "Big Three" (Tech, Salary, Remote) in line one.
The Circle of Trust
Developers trust their peers and communities far more than they trust cold outreach. If you want in, you need an introduction.
Takeaway
Whenever possible, use referrals or communities instead of cold DMs.
Cold Outreach Trust: 2.5/5 (Last Place)
The Trust Protocol
That's it. Skip the fluff. Respect their time. Focus on what matters.
Start hiring with trustRespondent Demographics
Who We Surveyed
We didn't just ask anyone. We went straight to the source: 4,040 active developers from the daily.dev community.
These are the engineers you're trying to hire. They aren't just "users"—they are the builders of the modern web.
Total Responses
4,040
Countries Represented
177
Recruiter Takeaway
This dataset represents a global, highly engaged segment of the engineering workforce.
Experience Level
Geographic Distribution
The Final Word
Trust isn't a buzzword.
It's your competitive edge.
The market is noisy. Candidates are skeptical. The only way to win is to be the signal in the static. Recruiters who understand this data won't just fill roles—they'll build the teams that shape the future.
This research isn't just numbers. It's a roadmap. daily.dev surveyed 4,040 developers to give you the cheat sheet for 2025.
Use it. Share it. Fix the process.
Help Fix Recruiting
Share the knowledge.
Share this report with your network and let's raise the bar together.
The best teams don't wait.
They're already here.
Today, it's your turn.