Playing the long game
In my experience as both a hiring manager and someone who created a recruiting practice at a previous firm, I learned that how candidates are treated during their recruiting and interviewing process is a pretty accurate representation of the company's culture and values. It signals strongly to them what they can expect in terms of how they'll be treated once hired.
I was complemented by many of the people I interviewed for having built a recruiting process that was "fun, efficient, and humane" - a direct quote from one of the people that I hired. Multiple candidates who turned our offers down referred friends and peers to us (some that we hired), referrals that were possible because of that recruiting experience. Speaking of referrals, we also gave referrals from existing employees "white glove treatment" as well. Referrals often got fast tracked for initial screens AND communication back to the referring employee was a priority. This ensured that we KEPT getting referrals. A handful of candidates that initially did not accept offers, we were able to hire very quickly YEARS later because we put in the effort to stay connected wether we were hiring or not, demonstrating who we were and what we valued. Felt like common sense to do it that way, and the process felt enjoyable to everyone involved.
I try to always extend generous assumptions by default. I'm struggling to do it with the current state of my job hunt. The number of immediate, blind, and super generic rejections I am getting for roles I am absolutely qualified for is demoralizing. Almost all of my applications have gone to places where I am a referral from an existing employee too. Additionally, I have had recruiters go dark on me after I've completed multiple interviews with positive feedback, with zero communication about why or when I can expect next steps. This is super frustrating and feels disrespectful to me.
Poor recruiting experiences will lead me to cross companies off my list as a potential future employer, and to warn others away from those places as well. If you're currently in a position to recruit or hire, think about the signals being sent by your process and communication (or lack thereof). Recruiting is a long game, and investments you make now will pay off for years to come. Don’t take shortcuts and alienate really great future candidates. And if you’re a candidate reading this, the long game works BOTH ways.
I am curious, what are YOU experiencing out there?
