It finally happened! The call is made, the client – after months of wooing, well placed marketing, phone calls, cold calls and general “keeping in touch”..the client has an opening…and wants you to be a part of their recruitment efforts. You diligently go to your internal base, search out candidates through your social media/recruiting contacts- make the calls, qualify, disqualify and requalify candidate’s interest in the position. Ask all candidates about any companies they have interviewed with, or are interviewing with - verify they are all available to interview and motivated to make a move. Put together your candidates in a neatly wrapped “package” with care and love and send it off… The client calls and interviews 2 of your candidates. Everyone is excited. A few days after the interviews take place the client chooses a candidate..>YOUR candidate. Your  heart leaps (maybe you do a fist pump or jump in the air…)as they ramble off the specifics of the offer, start date, request billing details, etc…. You call to offer your candidate and….

They tell you they were made an offer earlier today by your client’s direct competitor…

I don’t know if I am good or bad at my job by saying this…but ouch! That one hurt.  I have been a Recruiter for 8 years- and although never diagnosed…Some days I do feel like I may have a touch of the "bipolars".