Meet Evan Palmer

‍

Evan Palmer has a simple test for his recruiting success: will candidates remember him in five years? Currently Talent Lead at Lazer Technologies with 100% offer acceptance and zero attrition, Palmer builds relationships that outlast companies.

Core belief: be the recruiter candidates remember five years later. Palmer builds relationships that outlast companies, turning today's rejected candidate into tomorrow's perfect hire – or the person who refers them.

‍

‍

Key Takeaways

Why strong candidates who weren't quite right are worth nurturing

Palmer's most counterintuitive practice: investing heavily in candidates he rejects. He connects them to other opportunities, shares their profiles with founder friends, and stays in touch for months. The payoff comes later.

"I remember when you rejected me for this opportunity, but you also shared my information with another founder. When you reached out again, I immediately wanted to talk because you were really looking out for me."

That's what an MEV engineer told Palmer when he accepted an offer three weeks ago—months after his initial rejection in April. During that gap, Palmer had connected him with other opportunities. When Palmer's team reached out again, the candidate was receptive precisely because he remembered how they'd helped him before, even after the rejection.

Palmer's rejection process:

• Always explain why it's not the right fit (honestly but kindly)
• Share 2-3 other opportunities that might align better
• Make at least one warm introduction
• Check in quarterly, even without open roles

Action for founders: Build a "not yet" list of strong candidates who weren't quite right. Check in every quarter. Your next great hire might be someone you rejected six months ago.

The kindness dividend compounds over careers

Palmer learned from his Twitter manager Brady that while recruiting is about building successful teams for the business, it should never come at the cost of treating candidates with respect. This philosophy shapes everything from his sourcing to his closing strategy.

"People remember kindness. People also remember people being dicks. And I think at least for me, we're in a people business, right?"

His relationship-first tactics:

• 15 minutes for anyone: Even candidates at other companies get negotiation advice
• Community participation: Contributes to Farcaster discussions, demos products, joins airdrops – recruiter second, community member first
• The long game: Maintains relationships knowing that today's junior engineer is tomorrow's CTO

Action for founders: Set aside 2 hours weekly for "relationship investing" – helping people with no immediate return. These deposits compound into your best hires years later.

Prep your candidates like they already work for you

Palmer's 100% acceptance rate comes from one unusual practice: treating interview candidates like they're already on the team. Every technical interview candidate gets a 30-minute prep session. Not because it's efficient. Because it shows care.

What these prep calls really do:

• Signal that you value their time and success
• Build trust before the high-stakes interview
• Let candidates show actual ability, not interview skills
• Create advocates even if they don't get offers

"If everyone has the tools to be successful, let people show up as their best selves. What's the point of tricking someone?"

Action for founders: Offer prep sessions to your top 3 candidates for every role. Yes, it's 90 minutes. But one great hire who stays for years is worth hundreds of hours of recruiting.

Your hiring process is your first retention tool

Palmer doesn't separate recruiting from retention – they're the same function with different timelines. His 30/60/90 day framework starts during interviews, not after.

How to retain from day negative-30:

• During interviews: Share the 90-day success roadmap
• At offer stage: Explain exactly how you'll support their growth
• Week one: Check in personally, not through HR
• Day 30/60/90: Structured reviews with clear next steps

"My responsibility to you in our relationship is to set you up for success. This job won't last forever for me, your job won't last forever for you, but our relationship will."

Palmer maintains these check-ins personally, not delegating to HR. The result: zero attrition at Lazer, even in crypto's volatile market.

Action for founders: Tell candidates during interviews: "Here's exactly how I'll support you in your first 90 days." Then actually do it. Your involvement is why they'll stay when competitors offer 20% more.

Build your funnel in public, hire from your community

Palmer doesn't post jobs and wait. He builds relationships in crypto communities months before he needs to hire. When roles open, his DMs fill with referrals from people who know him as a community member, not just a recruiter.

His community-first approach:

• Joins Farcaster channels, Discord DAOs, Telegram groups
• Contributes genuinely – reviews products, helps with code, shares insights
• Posts opportunities only after establishing presence
• Treats every interaction as potential long-term value

"People share opportunities because they know me from demoing their product, not from recruiting outreach."

Action for founders: Start building relationships in your target communities 6 months before you need to hire. When you finally post that role, you want 10 people saying "I know the perfect person" because they trust you.

Metrics that matter

Relationship health:

• Quarterly check-ins with past candidates (target: 20+)
• Referrals from rejected candidates (Palmer tracks this)
• Community interactions before application (minimum: 3)

Trust indicators:

• Prep session attendance rate (80%+ signals genuine interest)
• Time from rejection to referral (shorter = better relationship)
• Offer acceptance rate (100% is possible with relationship investment)

Long-term value:

• 90-day success rate (measured by manager feedback and performance)
• Employee engagement and performance (candidates who felt respected during hiring are more motivated to excel)
• 12-month retention (Palmer: 100%)
• Boomerang hire rate (candidates who return after leaving)

Key takeaways

✅ Rejection is the beginning, not the end. Your best hire might be someone you couldn't hire today.

✅ Kindness compounds. That 15-minute favor becomes a perfect referral two years later.

✅ Prep like they're already on the team. Investment before the offer shows more than any signing bonus.

✅ Retention starts at first contact. How you treat candidates predicts how long they'll stay.

✅ Your network is your net worth. Every interaction is a deposit in your relationship bank.

Pro tips

💡 The Brady principle: Palmer's manager at Twitter taught him that behind every resume is a human life that matters. This isn't feel-good fluff – it's why his rejected candidates become his best referral sources.

💡 The community tell: If no one in your target communities knows you personally, you're just another recruiter. If three people vouch for you unprompted, you'll never struggle to hire.

💡 The five-year test: Before rejecting a candidate, Palmer asks: "Will I want to know this person in five years?" If yes, he invests in the relationship regardless of the immediate fit.

‍

Need help hiring crypto talent? Post a job on Hirechain for free and get pre-qualified candidates that are worth your time.

‍