Better Late Than Never

"The Candidate Experience" -- Do you care? Where does your concern lie as a recruiter? Is it with your client, your candidate or yourself?

Several years ago, I placed an ER Manager at a lovely (gag) hospital in Fresno, California. There are parts of Fresno that are nice but there are other parts that are not so great, read: horrible. This hospital was in one of the parts that was not so great. I recruited the manager from a decent hospital in a nice suburb of Chicago. I convinced him to take a job in the hot, Central Valley of California. He left his family and moved to an apartment by himself. He wanted to make sure it would work before he moved his family from Chicago.

I liked him instantly and if I had been true to him, as a candidate, as a person, as a new friend..., I should have advised him to stay in Chicago. He called me after he had been in Fresno for about a week saying that on his way home from work that night, in the dark, that someone was burning mattresses in the street. He wanted to know if that was some type of Fresno ritual or celebration. I just laughed and asked how his day was..., as if the customary office plant we send to all our placements was going to be enough for this one. He lasted six months and one week, enough to cover our guarantee. His family never moved to California, and he moved home, at last to be with his family.

He was sought after and eventually recruited back to the Chicago area for a better, higher paying job that he wouldn't have received had he not experienced ER life in the danger town of Fresno, CA. He was a friend that I went transactional on. I know, it's not always a bad thing. In this case, it was both good and bad. But I am unhappy with my part in it. And that is where the change came in. Better late than never.

by rayannethorn

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jerry Albright on October 2, 2009 at 10:11am

I care. Like the gentle manatee - always looking out for others and never themselves.

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Permalink Reply by Jerry Albright on October 2, 2009 at 10:21am

I added a little....

Rayanne said:

Oh dear... I a little a-feared now.

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Permalink Reply by Fran Hogan on October 2, 2009 at 10:27am

I'm going to give a selfish answer. I care.......I care because caring gives me satisfaction.

I'm satisfied when someone lands in a great job because of me. I'm satisfied because it makes me feel good when I make my client happy. I'm satisfied when a candidate tells me how much they appreciate the help I've given them. You can't get any of this satisfaction unless you are truly working in the candidate's best interest. Yes, the company is my client and pays my fees but if you don't care about the candidate you place with them no one ends up happy.

Was I always like this? Probably not....I got into this business when I was an emotional "kid" and I think I cared more about being successful and making lots of money then. I soon found out that you don't make money, you can't be successful and you definitely won't last unless you care about the candidates you work with.

Most importantly for me, this job isn't any fun unless you get satisfaction.