Top Tech Headhunter & Senior Full Stack Engineer

I know exactly
what companies
are looking for.

Ex-headhunter for unicorn startups in Europe and the US. Computer engineer. Founder of Upnest Talent. Now I help professionals like you land their dream job.

500+
Professionals placed
120+
Top startups
93%
Interview rate
Jesse Dragstra - Top Tech Headhunter & Career Strategist

Founder

Upnest Talent

Experience

+8 years in tech

Companies where I recruited top talent

Synthflow AI
Synthflow AI
Peec AI
Peec AI
+100 more

Background

I've been on
both sides
of the table.

Computer engineer and headhunter. I've worked as a senior developer at top companies and recruited talent for unicorn startups. That dual perspective is what I bring to you.

+50,000 CVs reviewed
+500 professionals placed
Europe & US market
Upnest Talent
Upnest Talent

Jan 2023 – Present

+3 years

Co-Founder

Current

We founded Upnest Talent to revolutionize tech headhunting. Senior talent recruitment for the most ambitious startups in Europe and the US.

Top Tech HeadhunterUnicorn startupsEU & US market
AstroPay
AstroPay

Oct 2023 – Oct 2025

2 years

Senior Java Software Engineer

Developed and maintained secure connections with payment processors across Asia and Africa, enhancing transaction reliability at global scale.

Payment processorsSecurityGlobal scale
Travelport
Travelport

Jan 2023 – Jan 2024

1 year

Senior Back End Engineer

Led the migration of legacy SOAP services to a modern microservices architecture, improving system efficiency.

MicroservicesApache KafkaBarcelona
Founda
Founda

Feb 2020 – Jan 2023

3 years

Back End Engineer

Developed a PIX-inspired interoperability service that enhanced cross-border integration. Designed scalable microservices with Node.js, RabbitMQ, and Docker.

Node.jsRabbitMQCross-border

Services

I'm not another
career coach.
I'm an insider.

01

LinkedIn Optimization

I transform your profile so recruiters find you. Headline, About, experience and keywords optimized with the vision of a headhunter who's searched LinkedIn thousands of times.

Converting headlineStrategic About sectionIndustry keywordsRecruiter-magnet profile
02

High-Impact CV

I've reviewed +50,000 CVs. I know exactly what hiring managers look for and how to structure your experience to maximize callbacks in any selection process.

ATS-friendly formatQuantified achievementsSector-adaptedPasses auto filters
03

Strategic Outreach

I teach you how to write messages that generate responses. The same techniques used by top headhunters to open doors that seem closed.

Proven templatesEffective cold outreachFollow-up strategyNetwork building
04

Job Search Strategy

Personalized plan with the right channels, timing, and tactics for your profile and industry. Stop searching blindly, search with an insider strategy.

Personalized planTarget companiesInterview prepSalary negotiation

Process

From where you are
to where you
want to be.

01

Application

Submit your profile for review. I study your LinkedIn, CV and current situation to see if I can genuinely help you.

Profile review
02

Qualification

If your profile qualifies, I contact you with a detailed analysis and a tailored optimization roadmap.

Personalized study
03

Transformation

We rewrite your professional presence with the keywords, structure and messages that generate real callbacks.

2-3 weeks
04

Launch

We activate your outreach strategy, prepare interviews and negotiate your best possible offer.

Ongoing support

Specialized guides

Specific strategies
for your profile.

Every sector and role has its own rules. Explore detailed guides with specific strategies for your professional profile.

The sector with the highest global demand. From frontend to backend, DevOps and beyond.

Data & AI

4 roles

The sector transforming every industry. Data Science, ML Engineering and AI.

Shape products people love. Product Management, UX/UI Design and Research.

Drive user acquisition, activation and revenue growth with data-driven strategies.

SaaS Sales

3 roles

The revenue engine of tech companies. Account Executive, SDR, and Sales Leadership.

Protect organizations from cyber threats. One of the fastest-growing fields with massive talent shortage.

Build and manage the cloud infrastructure that powers modern applications at scale.

Build apps for billions of users. iOS, Android and cross-platform mobile development.

Talent acquisition, people operations and HR technology driving modern organizations.

Financial technology, crypto, and the intersection of finance and software engineering.

Results

What they say
those who already
made the leap.

More than 500 tech professionals have transformed their job search with my methodology.

“Jesse helped me transform my LinkedIn and CV in 2 weeks. I went from 0 responses to 8 interviews in a month. Now I work at a fintech in Berlin with 40% more salary.”

Maria G.

Senior Frontend Developer

Fintech, Berlin

+40% salary

“As an ex-headhunter, Jesse knows exactly what companies are looking for. His outreach templates are pure gold. I got 3 offers in 6 weeks.”

Carlos R.

Backend Developer

Scale-up, Amsterdam

3 offers in 6 weeks

“I'd been searching for 4 months without success. With Jesse's strategy, within 3 weeks I had interviews at Stripe, Datadog and several top startups.”

Ana P.

Product Manager

SaaS B2B, Barcelona

Dream job in 3 weeks

“The difference is abysmal. He understands the tech market like no one because he's been on both sides. My LinkedIn now receives recruiter messages every week.”

Lucas M.

Data Scientist

Big Tech, Dublin

Recruiters reach out

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Apply now

Full career optimization
€150.

Submit your profile for review. I personally study every application. If you qualify, I'll contact you with a detailed analysis and your personalized optimization plan.

€150Full optimization package
Personal profile study by an ex-headhunter
LinkedIn + CV + outreach optimization
Only qualified candidates accepted
Results in 2-3 weeks
1
2
3

I review every profile personally. Only qualified candidates are accepted.