I’m writing this because I have something to say that I think all employers need to hear. I’m disgusted by the way employers are treating candidates. We all know the market is doing well in the United States. Oil and Gas continue to struggle, but the technology field is red- hot. There is more hiring than there has been in years. Even though there is hiring, employers are still treating candidates like crap. How do I know? Why am I writing this? I have a story to tell. I want to share with you what I have been witnessing. I am appalled and you should be too. Something needs to be said and done. In 2016, companies and recruiters will ruin their reputation if they aren’t careful.
Is this a new problem? No, it isn’t. Candidate experience, however, is paramount now more than ever though. Social media has changed the rules. As I am writing this, I know that it will reach people that I never thought imaginable. Glassdoor and other blogs and forums are out there. Yelp is very important to small businesses. Your reputation does matter. How you treat people does matter.
Maybe I am old school. Maybe I care about candidate experience more than most. I believe with all of my heart though, what comes around goes around. Period.
Over the past six months I have seen the unthinkable happen. I have seen candidates be treated like cattle. So, let me give you some specific examples and I’ll let you make up your mind. Is this acceptable? I have learned as a contingent and retained recruiter there are some businesses I will not do business with ever again. No matter how large the potential payday is for me, I will not ruin my reputation and work for assholes.
One day I had a candidate fly in from out of town to meet the CEO, VP Sales and VP HR. The company refused to have the candidate stay overnight although the company has more money than most organizations. The candidate requested a nights sleep to feel rested for the interview. The company refused.
The candidate got up for a red-eye and flew from the East Coast to the West Coast for an interview. The company even made the candidate book their own travel arrangements. Upon arrival, the candidate was slated for 4 hours of interviewing. After 30 minutes, they kicked the candidate out of the office. Literally. He was standing in the parking lot with his suit on and sweating profusely. I was called and asked to pick up the candidate IMMEDIATELY. The CEO had requested the interviews to be cancelled. No one had any explanation.
Now, this individual was a seasoned sales person. He is someone who has run sales teams and has made over 300k, and was consistently over quota. He knew everyone in the industry. He had phenomenal references.
Let me ask you this. What in the hell were they thinking? Of course I called the contacts at the company and they were conveniently unavailable until the next day. Upon asking what went so horribly wrong THE FOLLOWING DAY to cut the interviews short and pick him up immediately, they replied “he talked too much”. Really? Are you going to risk ruining your reputation as a company because your “gut” said he wasn’t the right fit. This individual, mind you, had already gone through 3 rounds of interviews that went extremely well!! Why fly someone in for a 30 minute interview?
What should have happened?
I’ll tell you. They should have gone through with the 4 hour interview and left him feeling fantastic about the company. About 3 years ago I interviewed with a very large company in Seattle. I knew within the first 10 minutes it wasn’t the right fit, but I left feeling positive about the company and I would recommend to colleagues.
Why? Why do this if you know it is not the right fit?
You do this because it is the right thing to do and people do talk!!!! Needless to say, this person put up a horrible Glassdoor review the next day. I would have done the same!
I had a similar situation with a different organization that was with another seasoned salesperson. This person had gone through 3 months of interviewing with different key executives throughout the company. He had outstanding sales records and overachieved his quota consistently. He was recognized as an expert in his niche field. This company too made the candidate book their own travel arrangements.
This person was in town for almost 2 full days and the company refused to do anymore than the bare bottom minimum for interviewing. The candidate wanted to get to know the manager, the culture of the company, the plans for future hiring. The company wanted nothing of the sort. He asked to go have dinner with the manager to get to know them better. The manager refused.
What did I do? I took this candidate out to dinner. I gave him the best damn experience I could imagine because it was the right thing to do! He took time out of his schedule and flew into town and I wanted to take care of him because that is what a good candidate experience looks like.
Candidates in today’s economy want to be “wooed”. They want to make sure they are making a change for all of the right reasons. They want to feel important. I get that. I’m not talking to junior level people. I am talking to executives and senior sales people. Successful sales people. Winners! Winners want to work for winning teams. Do you think that a winner will want to go work for a loosing team with a bunch of jackasses? Hell no!
Here is what happened. This person went through the interview process and they politely escorted him out the door. Thank God!! But, the 1 Senior level executive who didn’t speak to him gave him a mere 30 minutes and was THE REASON why he wasn’t hired. Do you know that this executive didn’t even have a copy of the resume? What an jerk! How dysfunctional does the company look?
I’ve had it. It is exhausting. Help be a solution to the problem and not a part of the problem. If this is part of your company’s culture, it needs to be changed and changed quickly.
Do the right thing. Treat the candidate right!
Will,
This is one of the reasons I work for myself. I have seen this kind of behavior for years with certain companies. Is it becoming more prevalent?
It has always been going on Marc. I think companies need to be more cognizant of it now because of social media though. I have seen some horrific behavior lately.
Keep Pressing… You Are A Bright Shining Light In This Crazy Industry….
Thanks Brian
Another great piece Will. There has been a steady decrease in wooing candidates over the last decade and you are right, it is continuing to trend downward. It’s unbelievable. I have a handful of these stories as well that just make me shake my head.
Corey, I would love to hear them. I am sure others would too. Thanks for taking time to comment.
Will, you are spot on with calling out this type of business behavior. I see it every day with customers who seem to think that silence is an acceptable response to a submitted candidate.
Thanks Mark. I am sure you do!
I say leverage Social Media! I know from experience companies are constantly trolling social media sites for mention of their names, you want action, they will see your post and respond. Call them on their unacceptable behavior!! Its time for a change. I’m a National Sales Manager with integrity, I would NEVER do as mentioned above, however, a lot of the larger high tech companies have no ethics and have big egos, very arrogant….it will catch up with them!! Their reputations are starting to precede them and they set around a conference room table wondering why they can’t source top performers!
I understand what you are saying Anita, but I will not do that. Others may and Karma will catch up to them.
Ah, the Corporate world of Ego’s and Assholes.
Couldn’t agree more, it is just a matter of time before candidates start dropping company names and interviewing personnel names into their blogs and review pages.
That’s when the game changes!
It is happening now. That is what people need to realize. I personally will not mention the name of the companies. That is not how I care to do business. Karma will catch up to them.
Thanks for sharing Will.
You bet Gerry. Thanks for taking time to read. A tough blog, but something you know a lot about.
I would agree. Went through a similar jackass type of national sales manager a couple of years back. Twice Executive searchers asked me to submit and I agreed. Apparently they go through people like water and just the other day an ES came calling. Answer this time? Go away and never come back your client is a terrible company.
Unfortunately that is what happens. I wouldn’t do business with them either.
So what do you think we (as recruiters) can do about streamlining this process? A good recruiter works for the company, yes.. but an even better recruiter works for both the candidate and the company, keeping the best interest of all parties in mind.
Great question Garick and could not agree more. I wish I had the answer. I think awareness is the first step. Yes, this behavior does happen and I don’t think employers really fully understand the repercussions. This blog has been read thousands of times over the past week- above and beyond what I ever thought it would be read. Glassdoor and other websites do matter. I think it is a recruiters job to educate and to try to lead employers down the right path. At the end of the day, however, people are going to do what they are going to do. Some companies do this on purpose to vet the candidates. I disagree with the behavior, but some feel strongly that this is the correct way to do business. In the end, I do think it will hurt the employer. I’m just one voice of many though.
This is such garbage
Yes it is!
It is really unfortunate how poorly some companies operate when it comes to respecting people be it candidates or customers. Personally, I think the same organizations who treat candidates poorly are treating their customers terribly. Even if an organization does not want to “woo” a candidate they should consider their consumer brand and treat the process as someone having an insider’s view on the company.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Will.
You are welcome Sajeda. It was very disturbing. You are correct by saying they would treat their customers that way too. Thanks for commenting.
Wow this confirms what I have been seeing through near 1 month of job hunting. No show interviews, waiting forever for a yes/no at job offer stage, dragging out hiring process just to drag it out, outright lies, rudeness etc. FROM so called respectable employers. I do not stand for it anymore. I declined one job offer and halted numerous job selections in full flow if they get to ridiculous, crazy, rude or damn right patronizing. And yes I use social media and I have no qualms about blackening these peoples’ names. My mother says what goes up usually comes down with a bang. Yes every dog has its day!
In recent years, I’ve had rude job interviewers cut the interview short, and throw my resume in my face.