How a DevTools Company Hired 5 Backend Engineers From a Fully Sourced Pipeline
[DevTools SaaS, Remote US] · Technology
Results at a Glance
- Sourced candidates contacted: 0 → 420
- Sourced-to-interview conversion: - → 31%
- Days from search to signed offer: 6+ weeks (agency quote) → 19
The Challenge
Backend engineers who understand distributed systems don't apply to job posts - the inbound pipeline was 90% mismatched. Recruiting agencies quoted $25,000 per placement with a 6-week lead time the roadmap couldn't absorb.
The Solution
Plain-English AI sourcing built the long-list in an afternoon. Verified personal emails and phone numbers opened channels that get answered; sequences and AI agent calls warmed the pipeline. Every interested engineer took a deep AI technical interview at whatever hour suited them - most between 9 PM and 1 AM.
The Results
5 backend hires in 10 weeks, all sourced, none from job boards. Total tooling cost was under 4% of what agency fees would have been.
The candidates we actually wanted were never going to apply. Sourcing plus a real technical interview in one pipeline is the whole game.