“I’d love to talk to you about this role. Please send me your availability for this week and we can schedule a time to talk.”
After responding to her request with my availability, the recruiter and I agreed to talk over the phone that week on Thursday at 4:00 P.M.
Thursday came, and I started my morning off by doing some more research on the company. I wrote down some highlights from my research, looked up the recruiter on LinkedIn, and wrote down some questions that I was going to ask to get a better feel for the company. At about 3:30 PM, I wrapped up my work for the day and began to head home so that I would be settled by the time I received the call. I got home, laid out my notepad, opened up my resume on my laptop, and had my pen ready to go.
Usually, I give recruiters about five minutes from the scheduled call time, in case they’re running a bit behind. At 4:05 PM, I hadn’t received a call so I double checked my phone to make sure the ringer was on.
4:15 p.m.
4:30 p.m.
4:45 p.m.
Still not a single beep or vibration to give me the slightest bit of hope. I finally concluded that this recruiter wasn’t going to be calling and shut my laptop. I sent a message to the recruiter and till this day I haven’t heard back. She never sent a message apologizing, didn’t give me a call, and just ignored my messages.
I was frustrated, because I had put so much time and effort into preparing for this interview.
As a human resources (HR) professional, I find it extremely perplexing how a department that prides itself in “serving the people,” can fail so miserably in doing just that.
Have we gotten to the point where “serving the people” only applies to those already within our firms? Does “serving the people” exclude honoring your word? Has reaching out to candidates dwindled down to only be about meeting targets/quotas?
We can’t keep wasting the time, resources, and efforts of candidates just to leave them with no hope. We can’t schedule interviews with candidates and not call or show up. It doesn’t speak well of us as human resources specialists, and it doesn’t speak well of the firm you are representing. We ourselves were once candidates, hoping and praying that somebody would give us a chance. Let’s extend that same grace that we received to those who are looking for it. Let’s treat candidates like they matter, because they truly do. As Brigette Hyacinth, a famous HR Influencer and an international keynote speaker, always says, “It’s time to put the human back in human resources.” When it comes to working with people, we must remember that it only takes one encounter with someone to leave a lasting impression. Treat others with the same respect and honor that you would expect to be given.
Matthew 7:12 (NLT): “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.”
Humanly Yours,
Abenah