I want to live in a world where recruiters are saints.
I’m asking for a lot, I know.
But as someone who’s had to deal with recruiters way too much, my concerns are valid.
Now there’s good and bad in every profession. But that’s not what this is about.
It’s about highlighting the shitty behaviour that exists, and stamping it out.
It’s possible, I just know it.
As someone who’s had his fair share of crummy experiences with recruiters (whether in-house or via agency), I speak first hand of the gross inhumanity in the recruitment space.
These aren’t flippant suggestions, mind you.
It’s such a common occurrence that I felt compelled to not just write about it but to actively do something about it (you’ll need to scroll down to find out):
So let me break down the things I’ve experienced that recruiters need to change. (all it takes is to be a better human, really):
1. We’re more than just a number. Yes we know you get paid based on commission but don’t give us the time of the day based on the size of your payout.
2. Have the decency to be honest with us. If we’re not a fit or have a slim chance, tell us. If our salary expectations are way off (either side), tell us. Level with us – don’t lead us on and give us false hope.
3. If you say you’re going to call or email back – do it. And do it when you say you will. Or if you’re delayed, still respond. Better late than never.
4. Don’t ignore us. It doesn’t take long to send an email telling us we didn’t get the job / you don’t have anything suitable for us right now. Just tell us. The bad news isn’t the only thing that hurts, it’s the way we’re brushed off like dirt that hurts more.
5. Don’t tell us the salary is competitive. That’s a cop out. Competitive is subjective. And wouldn’t it make your job easier to filter out the tyre kickers? I’ve seen so many job ads that suited me to a tee but the salary was far below anything I would consider. So rather than waste everyone’s time, I simply skipped over that ad. Give us a range at the very least.
I know recruiters will be up in arms saying they get bombarded with so many CVs and applications that it’s impossible to keep up.
I get it. It can be overwhelming. And some jobseekers don’t help themselves (irrelevant applications & ghosting).
But that’s no excuse when you actively engage with a jobseeker and then either ghost them or string them along. That’s the part no one likes.
I know that the way we hire and manage people is a complex machine. There’s so many moving parts that there’s startups working on fixing individual bits in the process. It’s perhaps impossible to tackle it all in one go.
But I’m working on something that restores dignity to jobseekers and rewards good behaviour from recruiters and actively encourages them to do the right thing by jobseekers.
The balance of power has been heavily skewed towards recruiters for far too long. It’s time to give jobseekers the dignity, the power and the respect they deserve.
Stay tuned. I’m about to change things up. And if you’re in recruitment, this isn’t something to fear – it’s actually going to make your life a whole lot easier. Trust.
