What do you do with the irate Candidate? - RecruitingBlogs2024-03-28T13:58:05Zhttps://recruitingblogs.com/forum/topics/what-do-you-do-with-the-irate-candidate?commentId=502551%3AComment%3A1672145&x=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noDepends on what they are angr…tag:recruitingblogs.com,2013-03-07:502551:Comment:16721452013-03-07T17:29:42.345ZBen McGrathhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/BenMcgrath
<p>Depends on what they are angry about. If the anger comes from not being selected, this is a result that is beyond the recruiter's control.</p>
<p>If it is about something that was avoidable we must pin point the hang up and not let it happen with another candidate.</p>
<p>All the best,</p>
<p>Ben McGrath</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Depends on what they are angry about. If the anger comes from not being selected, this is a result that is beyond the recruiter's control.</p>
<p>If it is about something that was avoidable we must pin point the hang up and not let it happen with another candidate.</p>
<p>All the best,</p>
<p>Ben McGrath</p>
<p> </p> Before you react to an IRATE…tag:recruitingblogs.com,2013-03-05:502551:Comment:16707882013-03-05T15:16:59.671ZValentino Martinezhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/ValentinoMartinez
<p><strong>Before you react to an IRATE Candidate...try to imagine what a walk in their shoes feels like...</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1442321815?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1442321815?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721"></img></a></strong></p>
<p>Photo by Valentino Martinez</p>
<p>Tim poses an important question because confrontation, in our work as recruiters, is inevitable and is magnified in times of economic downturns when the new unemployed include older people who were…</p>
<p><strong>Before you react to an IRATE Candidate...try to imagine what a walk in their shoes feels like...</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1442321815?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="721" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1442321815?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721"/></a></strong></p>
<p>Photo by Valentino Martinez</p>
<p>Tim poses an important question because confrontation, in our work as recruiters, is inevitable and is magnified in times of economic downturns when the new unemployed include older people who were always in an upward career trajectory and younger ones just entering the workforce -- they have not learned to adjust to constant rejection. Their sensitivity is heightened for a lot of reasons and how they're acting out is a watch out.</p>
<p>BTW--there are two kinds of irate job candidates – the ones you are dealing with over the phone; and the ones you are dealing with – face-to-face. The direct confrontation: in your company lobby; in your office or cubicle; or at a Job Fair – can happen and should be anticipated. I’ve experienced all of these to include picket lines and confrontation in my office and in the yard in a prison setting. So the importance of this question Tim poses should not be taken lightly.</p>
<p>The first thing I do with an irate candidate is identify with their pain -- and I do that by imagining myself in their shoes. I’ve discovered that “misery loves company” and found that empathy -- understanding their point of view and exchanging war stories goes a long way in helping identify the exact problem and lowering the tension in the air. They want to know you - the recruiter - are hearing them and that they are not totally wrong in their anger.</p>
<p>With some exceptions most professionals are reasonable if you are genuinely meeting them half way. I address their upsides and their downsides in a respectful manner. Since no one is perfect they eventually admit that there actually can be a person just a little bit better fitted for the job than they are. You don't go in with that argument...you whittle them down to common sense thinking and will notice they calm down and reasonable. This is the moment I address their temper -- suggesting that it is the worse way to make a point because it closes a door that may still be partially open.</p>
<p>I've had the good fortune of bringing those hostile conversations to an open conversations...parting on friendly terms.</p> agreed. Malia Jorgensen said…tag:recruitingblogs.com,2013-03-05:502551:Comment:16708022013-03-05T03:22:18.125ZRyan Learyhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/RyanLeary
<p>agreed.<br/> <br/> <cite>Malia Jorgensen said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.recruitingblogs.com/forum/topics/what-do-you-do-with-the-irate-candidate#502551Comment1665794"><div><p>This happens... you just have to let them go.</p>
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<p>agreed.<br/> <br/> <cite>Malia Jorgensen said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.recruitingblogs.com/forum/topics/what-do-you-do-with-the-irate-candidate#502551Comment1665794"><div><p>This happens... you just have to let them go.</p>
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</blockquote> Why is the candidate angry ex…tag:recruitingblogs.com,2013-02-21:502551:Comment:16670212013-02-21T13:29:18.786ZStephanie McDonaldhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/StephanieMcDonald
<p>Why is the candidate angry exactly? Did the employer not follow up? Or did they offer the job to someone else? I'm not sure I've run across many angry candidates in my years of doing this. I usually apologize for their perceived wrong and move on. It's not worth working with people like that. If something wrong did happen, I'd be sure the employer knew about it since reputation is so critical in this competitive talent market.</p>
<p>Why is the candidate angry exactly? Did the employer not follow up? Or did they offer the job to someone else? I'm not sure I've run across many angry candidates in my years of doing this. I usually apologize for their perceived wrong and move on. It's not worth working with people like that. If something wrong did happen, I'd be sure the employer knew about it since reputation is so critical in this competitive talent market.</p> On such occasions:-
1) Follo…tag:recruitingblogs.com,2013-02-20:502551:Comment:16662842013-02-20T22:44:34.555ZAMIT MUSTAFIhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/AMITMUSTAFI
<p>On such occasions:- </p>
<p>1) Follow Up with the Client / Account Manager to Push harder for giving us (the sourcers) a justifying answer which would pacify the candidate for awhile;</p>
<p>2) If nothing concrete comes out of it, go out and be Frank and honest with the candidate. After all we represent their job prospects and thus deal with their careers. we cannot fool around with careers of Professionals who entrust us with responsibility to assure their next job, career growth…</p>
<p>On such occasions:- </p>
<p>1) Follow Up with the Client / Account Manager to Push harder for giving us (the sourcers) a justifying answer which would pacify the candidate for awhile;</p>
<p>2) If nothing concrete comes out of it, go out and be Frank and honest with the candidate. After all we represent their job prospects and thus deal with their careers. we cannot fool around with careers of Professionals who entrust us with responsibility to assure their next job, career growth improvement, which has direct impact on their personal & family life. </p>
<p>As recruiters, tell them the truth and try to gain his/her confidence to keep working with you in future and for the time being release them from all obligations towards existing client engagement and advice to move ahead with other opportunities in pipeline.Think how much you can do, if the candidate likes to work with you. Then you get to start rendering services to churn someone’s career which impacts his/her life. Now that’s what the nature of true service should be and trust me this is where the main root of Job Satisfaction lies for us Recruiters.</p>
<p>Sorry for being strayed away from the main topic...actually get emotional and want to express / lot of things...!</p> That's a tough one. I try to…tag:recruitingblogs.com,2013-02-20:502551:Comment:16662782013-02-20T20:53:27.097ZDanny Powellhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/3mcncx8s1fqlz
<p><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">That's a tough one. I try to set expectations up front and tell them that there are no guarantee’s except that I will represent them honestly and fairly if they will deal with me the same way. Even at that, I get the occasional irate individual who needs to chew on someone's back end. So I let them chew on mine. It doesn’t hurt me and it keeps this (sometimes) nutcase away from the person paying the bills, my…</span></p>
<p><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">That's a tough one. I try to set expectations up front and tell them that there are no guarantee’s except that I will represent them honestly and fairly if they will deal with me the same way. Even at that, I get the occasional irate individual who needs to chew on someone's back end. So I let them chew on mine. It doesn’t hurt me and it keeps this (sometimes) nutcase away from the person paying the bills, my company.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">At the end of their rant I will normally tell them that I really appreciate the feedback and I am always looking for process improvement. Then I ask, "What would you suggest as some ways to improve my process." Believe it or not, I have actually gotten some pretty good suggestions from doing this. However there are those times that I have received some suggestions of what I should do that are anatomically impossible. Those I pay no attention to and file that candidate under DNU. (“do not use” for the rookies)</span></p>
<p><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">By engaging the candidate the situation is often diffused, the candidate has had a chance to vent, I have gotten a couple of suggestions and I have protected my company. While it is not fool proof, I have had far more successes with than failures.</span></p> File 13... Life is too short!tag:recruitingblogs.com,2013-02-20:502551:Comment:16665682013-02-20T20:24:19.531ZPacific Recruitinghttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/PacificRecruiting
<p>File 13... Life is too short!</p>
<p>File 13... Life is too short!</p> I would empathize with the ca…tag:recruitingblogs.com,2013-02-20:502551:Comment:16665532013-02-20T19:28:03.535Zsabrinadovehttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/sabrinadove
<p>I would empathize with the candidate and do some active listening for a few minutes, especially if you have built up a relationship with this candidate.</p>
<p>However, I agree with other folks here - you may have dodged a bullet....it's normal to be frustrated but it's very different if the candidate is truly "angry" and really taking it out on you.</p>
<p>It is my experience that the candidates who have become really angry/irritated at any point in the process have turned out to be BIG…</p>
<p>I would empathize with the candidate and do some active listening for a few minutes, especially if you have built up a relationship with this candidate.</p>
<p>However, I agree with other folks here - you may have dodged a bullet....it's normal to be frustrated but it's very different if the candidate is truly "angry" and really taking it out on you.</p>
<p>It is my experience that the candidates who have become really angry/irritated at any point in the process have turned out to be BIG trouble....</p> I give them your phone number…tag:recruitingblogs.com,2013-02-20:502551:Comment:16665492013-02-20T19:25:39.073ZBill Schultzhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/BillSchultz
<p>I give them your phone number, Tim. </p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>I give them your phone number, Tim. </p>
<p>:)</p> Pam,
You are so right. I thi…tag:recruitingblogs.com,2013-02-19:502551:Comment:16659622013-02-19T22:50:38.647ZWill Thomsonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/WillThomson
<p>Pam,</p>
<p>You are so right. I think communication is the key. If you communicate throughout the process, situations like these are kept at a minimum. Candidates tend to get irate when they receive little or no feedback, but this happens less when they are updated regularly (good or bad). I remember being a candidate myself and all I wanted to hear was "yes" or "no" so I could move on. I think that is what most candidates want to hear.<br></br><br></br><cite>pam claughton…</cite></p>
<p>Pam,</p>
<p>You are so right. I think communication is the key. If you communicate throughout the process, situations like these are kept at a minimum. Candidates tend to get irate when they receive little or no feedback, but this happens less when they are updated regularly (good or bad). I remember being a candidate myself and all I wanted to hear was "yes" or "no" so I could move on. I think that is what most candidates want to hear.<br/><br/><cite>pam claughton said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.recruitingblogs.com/forum/topics/what-do-you-do-with-the-irate-candidate?xg_source=activity#502551Comment1666001"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>I think that candidates value communication above all else. As long as you are keeping them posted regularly, even if it's an update that there's no update because the client is dragging their feet, that is still information. It's also sharing the bad news as soon as you get it too, most candidates will be disappointed but will understand that there were other good candidates in the mix and they hired someone who was a tighter fit.</p>
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