Dear Claudia,

I am a corporate recruiter who manages an average of 30 technical positions at any given time for my company. On a good day, let’s just say I barely have time to go to the bathroom. I followed up on a great resume this week that came in response to a posted position, and discovered to my amazement that the phone number was directed not to a candidate, but to an agency recruiter. I was shocked, but it gets worse: when I complained to the agency manager about the practice, he actually wanted to “take the order” so they could present other candidates to me. How would you have handled this?

Fool Me Twice

Dear Fool Me Twice,

Wow…just when I think I’ve heard the best of the worst recruiter stories, someone reminds me that creativity is an asset in this profession. Good for you that you called the manager on the practice; too bad that the dysfunction doesn’t stop at the door.

You were slimed, no doubt – but there really are two takeaways here. First, a really simple lesson about bad behavior. People generally act in ways that get them what they want, and whenever dysfunction shows up in business (actually, just about anywhere), one of two things is true: it is either weeded out because it is unacceptable, or it is condoned by those with the authority to change it. This is important to note as a recruiter, because it speaks to the environment that we move candidates from and to -- and their potential for longevity in that environment.

The shadow of influence cast in a business always comes from the top, and this leads us to the second takeaway: pick your battles. I’ve heard it said that wisdom lies in knowing not what is right, but when to fight about it. In the situation you mentioned above, blacklist the vendor and move on. But from a business perspective, take it as a lesson in evaluating the delicate balance between influence and energy; you only have so much, and it’s really frustrating to run out of one or the other.

I think you handled the situation well. Now take a shower and get back to work.

**
In my day job, I’m the head of Products for Improved Experience, where we help employers use feedback to measure and manage engagement for competitive advantage in hiring and retention. Learn more about us here.

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