Candidates every Recruiter Dreads

For the most part recruitment is an enjoyable and interesting experience where you get to meet a wide array of people and build strong relationships with your candidates while helping them find the perfect job.

As with any job working with the public you do have days where you don’t know whether to scream, laugh or cry and candidates play a crucial role in this for a recruiter.

Today I’m going to discuss the four candidates all recruiters dread to meet and for anyone in the game I know you’ll understand where I’m coming from and I’d even say a few names or experiences will pop into your head as you read through the list.

  1. The Oversharer

This candidate likes to make an impression by giving you the full details of their past employment and life experiences, soon they are adding you on Facebook, calling you princess or beautiful or suggesting to meet you after work.

Now I know what you’re all thinking who wouldn’t like to be called princess and doesn’t like a bit of banter every now and again; but this is work and the only relationship between recruiter and candidate should be of a professional nature.

Recruiter Tip:
So, what I would suggest and speaking from experience is to set boundaries from the beginning, bring the conversation back to the task in hand: finding them a job, set your social media outlets to private or explain that you would be happy to email them through your work account. If after this, you feel that boundaries are still being crossed then kindly explain that you can no longer continue with their application.

  1. The Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

This candidate can go from being your best friend to a living nightmare in mere seconds.

When it comes to work, money and paying bills; emotions are always going to be heightened which is a fact of life. As a recruiter you are the thread that connects a candidate to their dream role and earning potential.

BUT what if the interview goes badly or your client doesn’t feel your candidate is a right fit or they were simply just not suitable for that particular role?

Breaking this news can only go two ways and quite quickly you can see the lovely Dr. Jekyll turn into a raging Mr. Hyde.

Recruiter Tip
We’ve all been on the receiving end of threats and abuse for one reason or another, so what I would suggest in these situations is to keep as calm as possible and be sympathetic, explain that while they were unsuccessful with this role you will be working hard to find them something else.

Try and manage your candidates’ expectations from the very beginning by being as honest as you can and keeping the lines of communication open from the start.

  1. The Stalker

I think this candidate will resonate with a lot of recruiters, you see your phone light up with that number you know all too well, or the name appears on your emails for the third time that day and suddenly tearing all your hair out seems like your only option.

While showing initiative and being enthusiastic is a recruiter’s dream, there are only so many updates we as recruiters can give.

Generally there are 2 reasons why we have not updated you and it certainly is not because we have forgotten about you:-

  • Sometimes we are waiting to receive feedback back from a client; or
  • Have numerous interviews to conduct before making that final decision so giving feedback straight away is not always an option.

Recruiter Tip
In this situation I would give the candidate a clear guideline as to when they should expect to hear from you. Explain that you have numerous interviews to conduct or that you are waiting for feedback from a client.

In this way, if they don’t hear back from you straight away, they do not panic that as it is normal procedure and you will be in touch as soon as you have an update.

  1. The One-day Wonder

This candidate never ceases to amaze me!!

You’ve conducted the interview, they’ve sent in all the application and compliance documents required, are all set to start in their new role and BAM they disappear from the face of the earth never to be seen or heard from again.

Calls and emails go unanswered and all you can do is wonder where it all went wrong. The worst part of it all is that they were the perfect candidate, your client’s favourite, and you are left to make up some excuse or incident to explain to your client why they didn’t show up or couldn’t continue 😭

Recruiter Tip:

All I can suggest in this situation is to move on, if you have called and emailed and you don’t hear back then the only logical option is to move on and go back to the drawing board.

I’ve had candidates like this that have contacted me after a year to explain or give some sort of excuse hoping to start with the process again only to be let down for a second time. 🤦

Trust your gut if someone seems genuine and you honestly believe that they are seriously interested in the role then second chances can be given but don’t let them let you or your client down for a second time, if something doesn’t feel right then it usually isn’t.

In conclusion as recruiters we are always going to experience the good, the bad and the wacky but for the most part being a recruiter is a highly rewarding role giving us the opportunity to meet some extraordinary people and help these people find their ideal job.

Article Written By:

Grainne Flynn | Recruitment/Booking Co-Ordinator Temp Construction

Click here to view roles in Construction & Engineering

Email: gflynn@servisource.ie / tempconstruction@servisource

DD: +353 42 9368342

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