Overview
Every month, the Hacker News community hosts a dedicated "Who Wants to Be Hired?" thread where job seekers can present themselves directly to potential employers. This thread is a unique, no-nonsense platform: no recruiter spam, no job board noise—just individual developers, designers, and technologists sharing their availability. In this guide, you'll learn how to craft an effective post, avoid common pitfalls, and maximize your chances of being noticed by the right people.
Prerequisites
Before you post, ensure you have the following ready:
- A Hacker News account (you'll need to comment on the thread).
- An up-to-date résumé or CV (PDF or link).
- A professional email address you check regularly.
- A clear idea of your preferred location, remote work willingness, and relocation openness.
- A list of technologies you're comfortable with (be honest and specific).
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Locate the Correct Thread
The thread appears on the first weekday of each month. Look for the title starting with "Ask HN: Who wants to be hired?" followed by the month and year (e.g., "May 2026"). You can find it on the newest submissions or by searching on HN Algolia. Bookmark the thread once found—it's active for about a week, but early posts get more visibility.
Step 2: Prepare Your Information
You will post a comment on the thread using a strict format. The original thread instructs exactly these fields:
- Location: Your current city or region. E.g., "San Francisco, CA" or "Berlin, Germany".
- Remote: Yes/No or partial (e.g., "Yes, but prefer hybrid").
- Willing to relocate: Yes/No or specific regions (e.g., "Yes, to EU or US").
- Technologies: Comma-separated list. E.g., "Python, React, PostgreSQL, AWS".
- Résumé/CV: A link to your resume. Avoid PDFs hosted on sketchy sites; use Google Drive, Dropbox, or your personal site.
- Email: A working email address. Consider using a dedicated email for job hunting (e.g., jobs@yourname.com) to avoid spam.
Here's a properly formatted example in plain text (what you'd actually enter in the comment box):
Location: New York, NY
Remote: Yes
Willing to relocate: No
Technologies: JavaScript, TypeScript, Node.js, React, GraphQL, Docker
Résumé/CV: https://example.com/resume.pdf
Email: alice.jobhunt@example.com
Step 3: Post Your Comment
Navigate to the thread and click the "reply" link on the main post itself (not on someone else's reply). This ensures your post appears as a top-level comment. Paste your prepared text, review for typos, and submit. Do not include any extra marketing fluff—the HN community values brevity and honesty.
Step 4: Engage Professionally
Once your post is live, interested employers may email you. When they do:
- Respond promptly (within 24–48 hours).
- Keep your email concise and professional.
- If you change your mind about availability, update or delete your original comment.
Also, consider browsing other people's posts—you might discover interesting opportunities or network with peers. However, do not reply to someone's post to pitch yourself; that's considered rude unless they've explicitly asked.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Ignoring the Format
The thread explicitly says "Please use this format:" and then lists the fields. If you deviate (e.g., write a paragraph instead of a bullet list, or omit the email), your post may be overlooked or downvoted. Stick to the exact field names and order—copy-paste the template from the original post and fill it in.
Posting When You're Not Looking
The thread is for individuals actively seeking work. If you're just exploring or testing the market, do not post. Similarly, agencies, recruiters, and job boards are explicitly banned. Posting as a recruiter will likely get you flagged and the comment removed.
Using a Vague or Non‑clickable Résumé Link
HN comments don't render hyperlinks automatically from plain URLs. But if you paste a valid URL (starting with https://), it becomes clickable. Avoid URL shorteners (bit.ly, etc.)—they're often blocked. Also, ensure the link actually works and doesn't require authentication or a login to view.
Providing Inaccurate Information
If you say you're willing to relocate but then refuse every offer outside your city, you waste everyone's time. Be honest about your constraints. Future employers may search the HN archive; a misleading post can hurt your reputation.
Forgetting to Check the Search Tools
After you post, your information becomes publicly available and can be indexed. The original thread mentions two helpful services:
- nthesis.ai/hn-wants-to-be-hired – A searchable index of these monthly threads.
- wantstobehired.com – Another aggregator that organizes posts by technology and location.
Employers often use these instead of scrolling through the entire thread. Make sure your post appears there (usually it happens automatically once indexed). If it doesn't, check that your comment was posted correctly and not flagged.
Summary
Posting in the Hacker News "Who Wants to Be Hired?" thread is a powerful, low‑effort way to get your profile in front of tech employers worldwide. By following the strict format, being honest about your preferences, and avoiding common pitfalls (like recruiter posts or broken résumé links), you increase your chances of landing meaningful opportunities. Use the provided external search tools to track your visibility. Now go prepare your post—and good luck with your job search!