Recently we received a job specification which included the following statements:

Position requires analytical skills to characterize complex proteins using SDS-Page, IEF, and HPLC.  In addition, candidates should have strong working knowledge of M-ALS, MALDI-TOF MS, ESI/MS and LC/MS.  Capability to operate multiple MS platforms such as OqTOF, TOF/TOF, and ion trap-FT is highly desired.

While it is extremely important for a recruiter to know the meanings of these acronyms, it is just as important to know what each of these techniques are, what they are meant to achieve and how they would fit together in the eyes of the researcher.

A while back I invited an R&D hiring manager out for coffee and spent about half an hour discussing a wide variety of research techniques and how each is used during the R&D process.  This more in depth knowledge of the techniques and goals in the use of these techniques has proven invaluable over the years in recruiting R&D candidates.

Needless to say, it was the best $10 I ever spent (yes, we went to Starbucks).