Submitting Candidates when ONE is already set to interview

hi guys, just wanted to get some feedback on this situation, we have an position we are trying to fill and we have one candidate the facility likes and they have they already arranged to bring this person in for a site interview 9/10 when they do this they will make a job offer to the candidate. Not guaranteed though, the question is we have another candidate who is also qualified for this position, I have not submitted their CV yet because I am debating waiting until after the first interview to see how it goes before throwing another candidate in the mix. I am trying to weight the options and wanted to get some feedback from others on how you handle this type of situation....thanks in advance for feedback.

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Permalink Reply by pam claughton on November 28, 2012 at 7:28pm

Hi Mike,

It sounds like you have worked with this client before so know how they typically go, that's a key factor.

Do you have this search exclusively? That's the most important question here. If you don't send the other qualified candidate you run the big risk that someone else will.

Has this client talked to many other candidates? Another reason you may want to at least submit the other candidate is in case they don't love your candidate when they meet in-person and maybe someone will ask, "this guy is ok, but who else do we have to compare to?" The majority of my clients tend to want to have 2 or 3 finalists before they decide.

Here's what I'd suggest, and what I recently did in a similar situation, I submitted the backup candidate and just said to my client, "fyi, I submitted another person. I know you are excited about Jane, but just in case that doesn't pan out, we can then look at Sue.

And it's a good thing I did, because they're madly in love with Jane who is an outstanding candidate...but Jane is also quite popular and has another offer, for more money, closer to home, higher level....so not looking as good for my offer. If this doesn't close, we can quickly move to set up Sue and get others in. Hoping we won't need to, but at least Sue is in there just in case. As an fyi, Jane totally wanted my company and salary wasn't an issue....until it was when this other offer surfaced. You never know, and things can change on a dime, especially in this market. We are starting to see lots of multiple offers. Which is another reason to submit the candidate.

Hope that helps....Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Mike on November 28, 2012 at 7:40pm

Thanks Pam.

pam claughton said:

Hi Mike,

It sounds like you have worked with this client before so know how they typically go, that's a key factor.

Do you have this search exclusively? That's the most important question here. If you don't send the other qualified candidate you run the big risk that someone else will.

Has this client talked to many other candidates? Another reason you may want to at least submit the other candidate is in case they don't love your candidate when they meet in-person and maybe someone will ask, "this guy is ok, but who else do we have to compare to?" The majority of my clients tend to want to have 2 or 3 finalists before they decide.

Here's what I'd suggest, and what I recently did in a similar situation, I submitted the backup candidate and just said to my client, "fyi, I submitted another person. I know you are excited about Jane, but just in case that doesn't pan out, we can then look at Sue.

And it's a good thing I did, because they're madly in love with Jane who is an outstanding candidate...but Jane is also quite popular and has another offer, for more money, closer to home, higher level....so not looking as good for my offer. If this doesn't close, we can quickly move to set up Sue and get others in. Hoping we won't need to, but at least Sue is in there just in case. As an fyi, Jane totally wanted my company and salary wasn't an issue....until it was when this other offer surfaced. You never know, and things can change on a dime, especially in this market. We are starting to see lots of multiple offers. Which is another reason to submit the candidate.

Hope that helps....Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Peter Ceccarelli on November 29, 2012 at 4:34pm

Joshua......at 12 years in this industry, you're still a newbie in my opinion. And you're certainly acting like one through your tone and comments. There are a lot of us who have been doing this far longer than you (at big huge, international companies and all.......just like you)........and those of us who maintain long term careers are here because we're not arrogant or feel like we have something to prove.

Your posts are incredibly unprofessional and insulting to the entire recruiting field. Just turning around your words. And if you're having a bad day and need to rant, we're all good with that, but just let us know up front. But insulting another for the sake of insulting (I didn't pick up anything remotely close to what would be called "coaching" in your comments to Mike), so why say anything at all? Just thought I'd call you out on that. I call this coaching! Filter buddy. Find and use your filter!

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Permalink Reply by Joshua Lee on November 29, 2012 at 5:29pm

Peter you have a right. I made my peace. Just read the entire string from top to bottom. You right on some elements of maybe going off a little too far with my comments but the essence is still true and echoed (in a more PC fashion) by most of the others.

As a matter of fact.... where are you coming from all of a sudden so personally offended? Who are you? (rhetorical).

By the way, you didn't see his racist comments either did you? You really don't see the full story. I see several comments were deleted. Oh well. You only know what you know and you don't know what you don't know.

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Permalink Reply by Peter Ceccarelli on November 30, 2012 at 5:52pm

Joshua.............albeit he did pull a racial slur on you, which is never acceptable..........however stop beating a dead horse once it's dead. It's beyond annoying!

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Permalink Reply by Joshua Lee on November 30, 2012 at 6:13pm

Peter I hope you realize you're the one who's beating the horse.

Peter Ceccarelli said:

Joshua.............albeit he did pull a racial slur on you, which is never acceptable..........however stop beating a dead horse once it's dead. It's beyond annoying!