Introduction
Every month, Hacker News hosts a community-driven job board called Who Is Hiring?. It's a powerful way to reach talented engineers, product managers, and other tech professionals—but only if you follow the unwritten (and written) rules. This guide walks you through the entire process, from verifying your eligibility to formatting your post for maximum visibility. Whether you're a startup founder or a hiring manager at a large company, these steps will help you get the best response from the HN community.
What You Need
Before you write your first post, gather the following:
- A Hacker News account with some history (karma and age help build trust).
- A confirmed, active job opening that you are personally responsible for filling.
- Clear details about the location, remote policy, and salary range (if available).
- A short company description if your company isn't a household name.
- A commitment to respond to every applicant who reaches out.
- No third‑party recruiters – this thread is for in‑house hiring only.
Step‑by‑Step Guide
Step 1: Confirm You Are Part of the Hiring Company
Hacker News explicitly bans job boards, recruiting firms, and external agencies. Only post if you are an employee of the company that has the open role, and you are directly involved in the hiring process. If you're a recruiter, please refrain – violating this rule can get your post flagged or removed.
Step 2: Prepare All Job Details
Write a concise but comprehensive job description. Include:
- Location: City, state, and country. If remote, write REMOTE; for country‑restricted remote use REMOTE (US) or similar. If the role is on‑site only, write ONSITE.
- Company name and what you do – unless you're a well‑known brand (Google, Apple, etc.), add a one‑sentence explanation of your product or mission.
- Job title and a brief list of responsibilities and requirements.
- Contact information – usually an email address or a link to apply. Many posters also include their HN username for easy replies.
Step 3: Format Your Post
Keep it clean and readable. Hacker News uses Markdown‑like syntax (but not full Markdown). Use line breaks to separate sections. A typical post looks like:
Company Name | City, State | REMOTE or ONSITE
We build [product/service].
We're hiring [role] to [purpose].
Apply: email@example.com
Avoid excessive bold, emoji, or external links to tracking pixels. HN users appreciate straightforward, no‑nonsense posts.
Step 4: Post in the Correct Monthly Thread
Each month, a new Who Is Hiring? thread appears on HN, usually on the first weekday. The title includes the month and year (e.g., “Ask HN: Who is hiring? (June 2026)”). Always post in the current month’s thread – posting in an old thread will get you zero visibility. Check the ‘new’ page or wait for the official thread.
Step 5: Commit to Replying to Applicants
The thread guidelines state: “Please only post if you are actively filling a position and are committed to replying to applicants.” This means you must answer every email or application you receive. If you can't keep up, reduce the number of postings. A flooded inbox is better than ignored candidates who will share their bad experience.
Step 6: Avoid Common Pitfalls
- Don’t post multiple job openings in one comment. One post per company per thread. If you have many roles, either list them in a single comment or choose the most urgent one.
- Don’t complain about other posts. If you see a questionable listing, ignore it. The community will moderate.
- Don’t use the thread for recruitment services. No job boards, no paid placements.
Step 7: Leverage Additional Tools
Your post will appear in the raw thread, but candidates often use custom search engines to find jobs. Mentioning relevant keywords (e.g., “Elixir”, “machine learning”, “equity”) can help. Also link to third‑party aggregators that monitor the thread, such as nthesis.ai, hnwhoishiring, hnjobs, Emil Burzo’s index, or the HN Hiring Pro Chrome extension. These tools reprocess the thread and make your job more discoverable.
Step 8: Don’t Miss the Companion Thread
Hacker News also runs a Who wants to be hired? thread on the same day. As a hiring company, you can browse that thread to find candidates directly. The link is always included in the main hiring thread. For May 2026, the companion is at this HN item.
Tips for Success
- Be responsive. Speed matters – candidates often apply to multiple places and will go with the first reply.
- Include a salary range if you can. It’s not required, but it builds trust and filters out mismatched expectations.
- Update your post if the position is filled. You can edit your comment (within the first hour) or delete it to avoid dead links.
- Read the thread culture. HN users appreciate transparency, humility, and technical depth. Avoid corporate fluff.
- Post early. The thread gets hundreds of comments; posting within the first few hours gives you more eyeballs.
Follow these steps, and you’ll maximize your chances of finding the right candidate through the Hacker News community. Good luck!