The Human Element in Recruitment: Why Treating Candidates as Numbers Backfires.
The Reciprocity of Respect
Why do some individuals in recruiting, talent acquisition, or HR roles treat candidates as mere numbers? As a recruiter, I frequently speak with candidates who express their dissatisfaction with the recruitment process. For instance, one candidate shared that they had spent three hours researching a company, picked up their suit from the dry cleaners, got a haircut, and made every effort to prepare for an interview. However, just an hour before their scheduled video interview, they received a calendar cancellation notice and a message stating, ‘the position has already been filled.’ The candidate didn’t even get a chance to discuss their qualifications, despite being initially told that their resume appeared to be a perfect fit for the role. How impersonal and downright disrespectful is that? I believe it reflects poorly on the hiring agency. My advice to the candidate was to avoid that agency unless they urgently needed a temporary job.
The Karma of Recruitment
When I began my career in IT, I had the privilege of working with some of the best IT recruiters in the agency. I even formed friendships with some of them, and we continue to keep in touch. Unfortunately, I also had the displeasure of working with agencies that were solely focused on filling positions. Both experiences had an impact on me, and the agencies that showed genuine interest in me received the same level of attention in return. I understood that for certain high-volume positions like call center roles requiring 20 candidates within a month, recruiters might need to adopt more automated approaches to find candidates. However, this doesn’t excuse the mistreatment of candidates as if they’re just numbers. While it’s possible to take such an approach, it’s essential to remember the concept of karma, which is a universal law, in my opinion. Once you or your company gain a reputation for treating people solely as numbers, that’s likely the type of people you’ll attract – those who aren’t committed, just like you. The moral of my message is simple: treat candidates as you would like to be treated if you were applying for that position. It’s more rewarding than the short-term gain you might receive from placing someone in a position where there’s a 90% chance they won’t last.