Strike 1 - You're Out!

This just happened.

We're recruiting for a C# developer (in Michigan). We've had a few candidates interview and the process is moving along. The first step in the interview process involves a WebEx meeting with the hiring manager just to get a bit of "who are we? - who are you?" in place. Simple enough, right?

The starting point for that is an email from the manager to the candidate with the WebEx details - the link, password, etc.

So our candidate just called (5 minutes after the meeting was scheduled to begin...) to let us know he couldn't find the info and wanted us to resend it.

Could we have resent it? Sure. Why not? I'm guessing most recruiters would.

Well - here's why not: If you have an important meeting (and you're unemployed) I would think the FIRST thing you could do would be to keep an important email. I mean - how hard is "not" deleting info about your interview?

So - rather than "behind the scenes" regrouping with said candidate - I shut it down. Period. End of story. You're O.U.T.

Hard core? Too heavy handed? A bit too harsh? Poor guy.....needs a job.....just needs us to resend the WebEx info.

Nope. Can't keep important info? Sorry man - but we've decided there is not a match here.

Comment by Robye Nothnagel on August 31, 2012 at 9:16am: Bill,

This happened to me a few months ago and since it was a C# guy (very hard to find here) I let him string me along. What I FINALLY found out was that he was being offered an internal promotion but it just took longer than he expected. He finally told me when it was official. I will give him a bit of credit as he kept prolonging the interview and at least never wasted my client's time.

Comment by Robye Nothnagel on August 31, 2012 at 9:17am: Jerry,

I would hope I would have done the same thing!

Comment by Tiffany Branch on August 31, 2012 at 9:22am: @Amy, I'm not questioning the poster about why he passed on the candidate. I agree with his decision in that scenario. I was just staing that when making the decision to pass on a candidate who needs to reschedule, please consider the reason why. I would have passed on that person as well.

Comment by Bill Schultz on August 31, 2012 at 12:28pm: @Robyn- Thanks- with this guy it's just mindset. I said "Hey, it seems like you're swamped over there. This process will take a great deal of commitment that you don't seem to have.

He said: I really don't see where you get that from but if you want to drop it, go ahead.

Didn't fight back at all.

Comment by Christopher Perez on August 31, 2012 at 12:38pm: Bill, do you ever wonder if someone like that might get his dander up and go direct with the client just to prove a point? You know-- put on his best behavior with the client just to prove you wrong...Do you ever notify the client about people who you passed on during sourcing? Or do you a) figure you'll hear about it eventually if a person does that and deal with it accordingly, or b) say hell with it and let him do what he feels he needs to do?

Interested in your experienced perspective.

Comment by Bill Schultz on August 31, 2012 at 12:50pm: @Christopher- I let them know my intention before I spoke with him. He was already frustrating the office mgr who was coordinating the schedules so it wasn't a surprise. And I left the door open for him to come back to me if his priorities change. If he ever did end around, he'd get sent right back to me.

Comment by Christopher Perez on August 31, 2012 at 1:01pm: Ah, so he had been ID'd to the client by the time he started flaking out. I guess my question still stands in a case where you decided to drop a candidate from consideration prior to a submittal.

Comment by Bill Schultz on August 31, 2012 at 1:07pm: I don't think that has happened very often. I work close enough with the client to know who would get through their screen. And if they are appropriate, I send them. I think there are some recruiters who "play god" and only send folks who are qualified and play by their rules to whom this may happen more often. BNut I keep ego out and if there is a character flaw I note my observation in the presentation. Such as " his energy level wasn't as high as I'd like but it could've been the connection..."

Comment by Christopher Perez on August 31, 2012 at 1:13pm: Thanks, that's helpful and is in line with my belief in the power of transparency.

Source, screen, document, submit, defend-- whatever can be reasonably done to help the client make an informed decision realizing that they know their needs best (most of the time). :)

Comment by Dean Da Costa on September 2, 2012 at 3:40am: I think things happen. If there is legitimate reasons why a candidate needs to reschedule or does not have an email etc the they deserve a second chance. That said calling you late to get the info for the call was a bit much. In the end it is a case by case call, and comes down to their rational and if you believe it and feel it is reasonable. I know I have missed an interview for a position a few years ago. I told the person I was working with why. They did not believe me and that was it. Until I got a call from the hiring manager asking me why I missed it. I told him why, which was I had gotten into a car accident and was at the hospital all day. He chose to believe me. We talked and I went through full interviews and got the job. The recruiter that did not believe me lost a hire.