[Peroni]

I completely disagree. I've assisted multiple start-ups with their first few hires. The process is entirely different to how you would assist an established business and I can categorically say that helping start-ups with recruitment issues is infinitely more rewarding than helping corporates.

I understand where you are coming from though. Your perspective is that if you know your product and you know your business then you should know the people with the skills to make the business a success without the need for a middle-man.

Recruiters/headhunters aren't just keyword matching, human search engines. I'm a consultant and the service I offer is entirely consultative. I have years of experience assisting all sorts of companies, big & small with their various requirements. I know what works and to dismiss that experience is pointless.

We aren't all gold digging, phone bashing, clueless pests. Some of us (only a few admittedly) actually try and help people.

I have had a few people from this particular community approach me and ask for advice on various issues concerning their startup, something I have yet to charge a single penny for, so to say that all hackers avoid people like me is the opposite to what I have experienced in my time on HN.