In general, higher quality candidates usually already have regular employment using "mainstream" tech at "competitive" salaries. Many of these folks have been b

In general, higher quality candidates usually already have regular employment using "mainstream" tech at "competitive" salaries. Many of these folks have been burned by fake job leads and/or false promises -- they aren't likely to spend their time on you unless you give them a good reason to do so. If you want to recruit those people, you need to offer higher quality compensation, and make it exceptionally clear that the claims in your job ad aren't lies or half-truths. Make it clear that you actually want to hire someone, that you want someone good, that your position is worth having, and that a candidate isn't wasting their time trying to apply for your position. - - - Salary and benefits are a great place to start. Another option is more interesting, less mainstream technologies. Another option is increased flexibility, lower demands, or improved career growth (for example, 35hr work weeks, or paid conferences, ability to move up within an organization). There's lots of other interesting ways to do this, but make sure you cover the fundamentals well first, before getting creative. - - - If you are offering a high quality position -- don't hide it behind vague words, be overwhelmingly specific so that it doesn't look like you are lying (because many other companies do). For instance, Many people will mentally translate "competitive salary" into "low-ball salary", as that's what most companies use that phrase for. If your salary is actually competitive, you don't need to hide behind those words, you should just say the specific dollar range your offering. Similarly, if you actually offer great benefits, be sure to list them specifically. "Great benefits" will get mentally translated to "standard or shitty benefits", because that's what most companies use that phrase for. "100% employer covered HMO medical, for yourself/spouse/dependents." or "4% employer match 401k." is always more attractive than "great benefits". Do this for everything "We value networking and learning" means little, but writing "the company will pay 100% of the food/lodging/travel/ticket expense for one tech conference per year of your choosing" is valuable. Writing "we value work life balance" means little, but writing "we cap the work week at 35hours a week so you can spend more time with friends/family/out-of-work-activities" is valuable. - - - If you don't feel comfortable listing that information publicly, then you've identified your biggest roadblock to hiring. Make your offer something your not ashamed of first, before trying to grab new people ;)