Any unemployed Recruiters out there who are as annoyed as I am with what you see happening out there? I realize that companies have scaled back. For some firms, to be able to have a Recruiter at all, they have had to hire junior level recruiters who are cheaper. You get what you pay for! But now these junior people are in charge of finding talent. However, these so called recruiters lack proper etiquette. That one thing I always considered a part of the work ethic instilled in me by my parents and grandparents. They have poor follow up skills.

Follow up is probably one of the most important tools a Recruiter should have. But these days (as a candidate), even though you call to follow up, you receive nothing in return. I realize that some candidates are stalkers and call you every day. Sure, these are the ones you always hate to call back because your hiring manager still has not made a decision; or they simply don’t have the skills you need. I’m talking about the candidate who checks in weekly. To me, this is not stalking; it is reasonable. This should show you that the individual has great follow up skills. They have the tenacity to stick to the task at hand. And if they are calling you weekly, they must also be calling other companies they’ve interviewed with weekly as well. So, they must have some great tracking system in place. It doesn’t matter if you have no news this week. But you could at least return a call even if it is to say you have no news for them this week. Doesn’t this type of candidate follow up keep them on the front of your mind? Doesn’t it make you WANT to get an answer (whatever it is) for this person who has been very good at following up with you every week? This is what it’s supposed to do. It should make you want to hire this person; especially if they have the right skills.

But when you choose not to reply, it sends a terrible message to the candidate. It makes them feel they are wasting their time and it sends a bad message to them about the company. It makes them think that perhaps they did something wrong during the interview. Would YOU want to work for a company that lacks this good etiquette?

And, by the way Recruiters, when you finally do decide to respond and you send an email that says “I guess you didn’t receive my earlier email letting you know the job was filled”
the candidate knows you are not being truthful. Be honest and tell them you dropped the ball.

And here’s the biggest part of my annoyance. I followed up with my candidates (even the stalkers), yet I am the one looking for work! Oye!