This is probably my first non-technical article, and it comes from a quiet frustration I’ve been carrying for a while.
In the IT world, everyone seems to be looking for “the expert.” The perfect profile. The flawless match. And in that rush, something important gets lost.
I’ve seen headhunters scroll through LinkedIn profiles like feeds, seconds per person, eyes hunting for familiar words, bold titles, trendy technologies. Rarely stopping to read the full story. Years of growth, mistakes, transitions, and hard-earned lessons compressed into a headline… or ignored completely.
I know! Time is short! Pressure is high! But people are not search results.
This post isn’t about blaming recruiters or companies. It’s about sharing a personal experience that made me stop and reflect on what “expert” really means. About how much value can live between the lines of a CV, in paths that aren’t linear, in roles that don’t sound impressive at first glance.
I’m writing this in the hope that it helps someone pause for a moment, whether you’re hiring or being hired, and make a choice that goes beyond keywords. A choice that looks at people before profiles.
My customer! My rules!
One thing that always makes me laugh is that after the first contact, a recruiter reaches out after seeing my profile, my skills, and my experience, and then asks for my CV. At some point, I stopped questioning it and simply exported my LinkedIn profile into a PDF.
But sometimes it goes further: more than once, I was asked to “update” my profile, to emphasize certain aspects, to reshape my story so it better matched what a client wanted. That’s where I started feeling uncomfortable.
I’m not a product, and I don’t want to play the game of becoming whatever someone needs at that moment.
Real seniority isn’t about adapting your identity for every role. It’s about depth, experience, and choices made over time. I don’t want to become a SQL Server expert or a DevOps analyst just because it fits a job description.
I’ve even joined calls where I was told what to say and what not to say during interviews. But the right company should want the real person, not a scripted version. And yes, I’ve heard things like: “The client is mine. If you want to move forward, do what I tell you.”
That was the moment I realized how easily people can disappear behind processes.
And just to conclude this machine-to-man approach: I was surprised by how many people hang up the phone after some conversations if I don’t find exactly what I’m looking for in this opportunity. (“No goodbye for people that waste your time?)
There’s no “one lifetime chance” working abroad… or back to your city
Another theme that keeps coming back is the promise of “the opportunity of a lifetime.” How many times have I been contacted for roles abroad, like Germany, Brussels, Switzerland, presented as life-changing chances? Bigger salaries. Bigger projects. Bigger names.
On paper, everything looks perfect, but behind those offers, there are often details that nobody talks about. The cost of living, the real quality of life, the compromises hidden behind attractive numbers.
I remember receiving an offer in Zurich with a salary that could be compared to a manager’s. It sounded incredible, until I looked closer. Living costs, tiny apartments, and the reality of feeling like a permanent outsider unless you bring major business value. Suddenly, the “big opportunity” felt very different.
I’ve also seen smaller companies suggesting roles near the Swiss border, using lower taxes as an argument, while offering less than a Swiss salary because you “still live in Italy.” But reality is more complex than that. Living in border cities like Como can cost more than living in Rome: people already know why you’re moving there…
And then there is another side of the story: returning to work in your own city, where sometimes roles come with an unofficial “price tag,” especially in IT. A silent market rule that nobody really talks about.
After looking behind all these opportunities, I often ask myself: where is the real “big chance”? Maybe it’s not in the promise itself, but in understanding the full picture before saying yes.
Strange roles, crazy revenues, stalking pros
Not long ago, I was contacted for an “IT expert” position in my own city. The title sounded promising — until I read the description. Junior-level salary, entry-level framing, but responsibilities covering facilities operations, virtualization, and even software development.
At some point, you have to ask: how can one person realistically carry all of that? And another question naturally follows: why did you contact me? Did you actually read my profile before reaching out?
More than once, I heard replies like: “I tried, but your salary isn’t visible in your profile.” And yet the same offer kept arriving again and again, almost like automated spam rather than a real conversation (crude joke: was I talking with IA?).
But this is only part of the story, because the second part is salary. And here I want to be clear: when someone with experience evaluates a new opportunity, salary is already part of the equation. It sits alongside role, project quality, work environment, and career direction.
What doesn’t help is turning the conversation into a negotiation game, playing” small adjustments, like bargaining at a market, hoping someone will accept just a little less.
Changing jobs is not only about money. It’s about respect, clarity, and alignment between expectations and reality.
The other side of the table
Today, more than yesterday, I’m involved in recruitment processes as a team leader. And this is where I often hit another reality: many young professionals expect junior roles with senior-level salaries.
I understand the enthusiasm. I understand the ambition. But this industry is still heavily shaped by experience, by mistakes made, projects lived through, and responsibility earned over time.
My advice is simple: negotiate money when experience gives you the leverage to do so. This isn’t about undervaluing young talent. It’s about understanding that growth in IT is cumulative. Experience changes the way you solve problems, lead people, and make decisions… and that’s what companies ultimately pay for.
There’s also a reason why senior leadership roles tend to cluster around a certain age range. Studies on CEO appointments show that new C-level executives are often in their mid-50s, reflecting the value organizations still place on experience and long-term perspective.
And maybe that’s the real point of this whole story: Careers are long journeys where reputation, consistency, and real experience matter more than titles, keywords, or quick wins.
Let me conclude this post with two pieces of advice.
Dear recruiters, the employment health of a country depends, in part, on your ability to connect the right people with the right companies. That responsibility matters. Don’t treat people as numbers or as rewards to reach targets. Do your job with humanity, curiosity, and respect, not by fishing for profiles like a scammer looking for keywords.
And to young talents: be ambitious! Because ambition is valuable… But also be patient. Experience is everything in our field. Build something real, learn, grow, and let your journey speak for you before negotiating like someone who already has years behind their decisions.
Because careers are not built overnight. They are built over time, through experience, consistency, and authenticity.