Job Applicants, I Feel Your Pain.
The job interview is a mirror for how an organization treats its customers.
Job candidates are the Alpha and Omega of customer service experience. So when Recruiters and Human Resources ghost candidates, especially after multiple job interviews, this is bad juju. Put yourself in that candidate’s shoes, because some day you might be.
Below is a mash up of recent occurrences I’ve seen on LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, and a bevy of new sites offering freelancers a shot at more gigs.
Jobseekers have become less trusting because, well, we’ve been screwed over countless times. As result, we now guard our personal data and our references. We are not clicking links. We are skipping third party recruiters.
JOB CANDIDATES: Reduce scam job postings by 90% by verifying job listings directly on the EMPLOYER’s website. Most reputable companies have their Career pages up to date with job listings. If you see a job listing everywhere except for its own corporate website, it is a preliminary red flag.
Let me say this again: No one should be paying a fee to read job listings.
HUMAN RESOURCES: You can help by placing open and close dates on your listings. If a job opening is re-listed, say so, and re-date. Take a moment, pretty please, to respond to any candidate trying to verify whether an external job posting is legit.
True, some companies do not post jobs online and rely solely on an outside recruiter. Applicants responding to these play at their own risk, and may have their personal data farmed. Or worse.
Copycat employment listings often scrape from genuine sources and redirect applicant traffic for malicious purposes. No job application or related “survey” should be asking for your Social Security number or Social Insurance number, no matter what company they claim to be connected with.
HUMAN RESOURCES: Please respond to applicants, even if it’s just a form letter. Any response is better than zero response. Do not judge job candidates for pandemic gaps.
HIRING MANAGERS: Please respond to ALL candidates who interviewed with you. Take a moment to write one sentence that would be helpful for that candidate. If they were close, let them know.
INTERVIEWEES: Send a Thank You note to both HR and the manager who interviewed you. Yes, it’s traditional. It demonstrates that you have good manners. Dozens, hundreds, maybe thousands applied for that job opportunity. They didn’t have to contact you, but they did. Be grateful. It’s not an act of desperation unless you make it out to be. Pick one point raised by the company during your interview, and reflect on it objectively.
RECRUITERS: Please do not ghost your candidates after screening them. Send a short email or text. There are some fabulous recruiters out there, somewhere, but unfortunately they are few amid one too many rotten apples. That said, please don’t bait-and-switch, lowball salary, or say a position is remote when it is not.
FOR ALL: Anything more than 3 formal interviews is abusive to the candidate, unprofessional, and unorganized on behalf of the organization. The interview process is a window to how a company operates.
In conclusion, the last 2 years have presented a rough and tumultuous job market. Some businesses thrived. Others went out of business. Many laid off workers by the thousands. Today’s job screeners could be tomorrow’s job applicants. Today’s job applicant could be tomorrow’s positive referral for a Recruiter or Human Resources person. Positive experiences bring good karma in return.
