Tips for Navigating the Recruitment Market with Empathy

Diving deeper into rejections from my series on candidate experience: Rejection is a tough pill to swallow, be it in interviews or life. But what about those in the driver's seat... delivering the rejection? It's interesting that there is really no training on how to reject, but just like any other skill, it's something we can learn. Here are a few tips for hiring teams from my experience: 1️⃣ Call Them 📞: After the hours a candidate invests in interviews and engaging with your team, a direct call is the bare minimum. Ghosting or generic emails post-onsite interviews can be a hard blow. Let's show some respect for their time and effort. 2️⃣ Respect & Empathy 🤲: Sometimes, dealing with these situations regularly can make us somewhat numb (I've been guilty of this myself). Remember, each interaction is unique and this is someone's real life. I always give time at the end for questions but often times, people need some time to absorb which is totally fine as well. 3️⃣ Closure 🔚: Be upfront about the candidate's potential short-term consideration. Leaving doors ajar might sound great, but can lead to confusion. Let's ensure the candidate walks away with a clear understanding of their standing. 4️⃣ Maintain Professionalism 👩💼: Rejection is tough to deliver, but inevitable. Do it professionally, preserving the dignity and respect of everyone involved. Simplicity and straightforwardness are key. 5️⃣ Provide Constructive Feedback (if appropriate) 💬: If you can give the candidate some insight into general areas for improvement, without descending into a subjective debate, go for it! Constructive criticism can be hard to hear initially but is often appreciated for future growth. Remember, rejection can spark significant growth when delivered right. #Rejection #GrowthMindset #CareerAdvice #Resilience #Empathy #Hiring #Recruiting 🔄💔💪💼

Many people over the past few months have found their job search a bit disheartening. If I could add any insight, here’s my best advice to help navigate the process: - Limit Time on Job Boards: Spend less time scrolling through LinkedIn and other job boards. Instead, use LinkedIn to expand your network by sending connection requests daily to individuals you want to connect with (bonus points if you max out your connection requests each week). However, it's important to note - avoid spamming them for job opportunities; instead, offer value and build relationships before asking for anything. - Connect Personally: Dedicate more time to personal connections. Call 2-3 people in your network each day to check in, see how they’re doing, and learn about any opportunities they might know of. This personal touch can uncover leads that job boards miss (A lot of companies don't post about their hiring on their website). - Tailor Your Messages: Avoid sending generic emails or messages to recruiters. Instead of asking, "Do you have anything for me?", be specific. For example, "I saw you're recruiting for X. I'm looking for Y. Here is my resume and why I am a good fit." This approach is more likely to get a response. - Research Thoroughly: Before applying or reaching out, conduct thorough research and demonstrate your understanding in your outreach. Just applying isn't enough; find the hiring manager, seek introductions, and connect with HR or Talent Acquisition leads. Understand why a position is a good fit and be open to discussing why it might not be. Avoid making blind claims about being perfect for a role, as this can harm your credibility. In today’s competitive market, strategies that worked a few years ago in a "boom market" are not as effective right now. Adapt your approach to stand out.

Most important lesson recruiting has taught me: Have empathy Every time I talk with someone, whether it's a formal interview or just a casual convo/rant... I’m reminded that there's a person with dreams, goals, fears, and a story to tell. They are not JUST a name on a resume. They are not JUST another applicant. Some stories make me laugh, some make me think, and some, to be honest, have made me cry. The reality? Recruiting isn't just about filling as many roles as fast as you can. It's often about letting people tell their story. It's often about finding out what the person wants and DOES NOT want with their next position and/or employer. It's often about less talking and more listening. Every person I talk to, no matter what their resume says, has taught me something. They’ve taught me that empathy, respect, and a listening ear can go a long way. To all my job seekers out there - trust me, I see YOU, not just your resume. And to all my recruiters and talent partners out there... Let's not forget what it's like to be a candidate. Let's not forget that we all have a story to tell. And a resume NEVER tells our whole story. Love y'all, Farmer #empathy #realtalk #notgeneratedbyAI

Recruitment is a job filled with rejection. And that can really get you down, which is why recruiters need so much grit and resilience. I have spoken to lots of recruiters over the years, many of whom are good friends, who got burnt out and my advice to them was always the same: either recruitment is no longer for you and it's time for a change, and that's okay, or you have to find tools and approaches to cope with the rejection that we face daily in the role. Here are 3 things that have always helped me and how I'm still in the game after 17 years: 1. Always give people the benefit of the doubt and have empathy: We're working with people day in and day out and you have to be human-centered and understand that things are not always going to go your way. People change their minds, life happens and we all make mistakes. These are just the facts and by having empathy and understanding you'll be calmer and more accepting of any result. Getting easily frustrated, annoyed, angry, skeptical, distrusting or negative will lead to much faster burnout. 2. Make sure you have a good process: There's a ton of highs and lows in recruitment. The highs can be really high! And be quickly met by several lows! But what I've always found is by having a good process you'll maximize the highs and minimize the lows. If something didn't work out look back and think about what you could have done differently. Look at the lows as learning opportunities and avoid blaming others. 3. Tomorrow is a new day! I'm sure many sales people can relate to this, but honestly sometimes just getting a good nights sleep and waking up early with a fresh perspective and new motivation can help to wipe away any of the previous days frustrations and disappointments. Try not to dwell on the past or blame yourself for anything. The only way is to move forward and treat every day like a new opportunity. I hope these tips help some of my fellow recruiters out there. It's a tough job, so let's all come together to help each other out! PS. Which is the most helpful for you right now (1-3)?

Stop the ghosting! Be better! In the realm of recruiting, I've always believed that a gentle, people-first approach isn't just nice to have—it's the core of true success. Although this post is focused in agency recruiters, the same is true with in house Talent Acquistion too. For me, recruiting is much more than a numbers game; it's a people game. It’s about understanding, empathy, and connection. It’s about building empathetic, smooth running, well honed pipelines that put people’s experience first. Getting to know the roles deeply, embracing company cultures, and syncing with hiring managers' expectations allows us to not just fill positions, but to create meaningful partnerships. This journey is enriched by clear and compassionate communication, ensuring everyone involved feels valued and understood. If you take the time to understand the roll, the culture and the hiring manager do innately, that you only need to submit a small number of candidates fill the roll. Then so much time will be saved. So fewer rejections must be made. So much less time spent screening candidates that won’t be hired and therefore so many fewer rejections must be made. It's the small, thoughtful actions—like providing feedback after interviews—that make all the difference. These moments of care reflect the heart of what a good recruiter does and why they do it. Success, in my eyes, isn't measured by placements or profits alone, but by the positive impacts we create and the relationships we nurture along the way. To all my fellow recruiters, let's remember to keep our hearts open and our communication clear. Let’s put in the extra time on understanding who will make the best fit, over wasting endless hours sourcing and screening those that won’t. After all, in this beautifully complex field, the most rewarding matches are those made with kindness and understanding. Rejecting a candidate in a way that leaves them feeling positive is something they will talk about with others. In the same way they will rail on to all about negative or non existent communication. Call people back. Follow up. Offer support and feedback. Get to know your people so that you can understand in what culture they will and will not thrive. In this crazy market it is even more important than ever to lead with integrity and empathy. Treat people in the manner you would expect to be treated. It’s not so hard. #recruiting #talentacquisition #ghosting #empatheticsystems #jobsearch

Please offer grace and dignity to your friends, family, and colleagues who are experiencing a long period of #LayOff. This #JobMarket is unlike any other we’ve seen in recent US history. Candidate processes with many companies are taking MONTHS with multiple rounds of interviews. And unpaid projects. And lots of waiting. Your #LaidOff connections are exhausted. They’re experiencing interview fatigue. When companies put them through extensive rounds of interviews, making them meet with everyone including the janitor and the CEO’s grandmother’s college roommate, They feel overwhelmed, tired of rehashing the same things over and over again, and hopelessly stuck in a loop of waiting. Many have been the “runner up” for a job too often, and their confidence is waning. Some have gone months without a single interview. Others are tired of submitting application after application and getting no response. And they’re all getting shamed for doing things wrong, or not doing enough, or not taking bad unsolicited advice. They’re being preyed upon by career coaches and resume writers and business opportunity scammers who only want their money--- what little they have left to live on. They’re watching their savings dwindle and unemployment run out. They’re struggling to find “bridge jobs” while looking for their ideal job. Their bills are going unpaid, their needs unmet. Their anxiety and fear over what’s to become of them is consuming their thoughts. They probably haven’t had a good night’s sleep in months. They might have a gnawing pit in their stomach all the time. They might be battling depression. Before you offer platitudes or lectures, consider offering kindness, a space to vent, a shoulder to cry on, and any help that you can offer. Because this might just be you someday and you’ll want to receive grace and dignity while you face the hardest season of your life. #JobSeekers #OpenToWork #Recruiters #HireTheseHumans #RecruitUs #ReadyToWork #OpenToNewOpportunities  

Alright, let's cut to the chase. Recruiters, it's time to embrace the concept of customer obsession, but apply it to candidates. It's about communication, clarity, and compassion. Over-communicate—keep candidates informed; no one likes a black hole. Clarity is key—give them straight answers, not corporate jargon. Show some empathy—these are people, not resumes. Bottom line: treat candidates like you'd want to be treated. It's a simple equation, but it pays dividends in brand loyalty and top talent acquisition.

Empathy in interviews: To all the interviewers out there. The interview is a great chance for you to make or break someone's day. Anyone who has showed up as a candidate is excited, hopeful or in need for the position or role being discussed. In most cases, the candidate is looking up to you as someone they might aspire to become. You as an interviewer are already sitting on his/her dream job. Let's respect all of this. Let us respect their excitement, their hope and need. You can ask the most brutal questions, but your tone must be polite. While you move to newer trickier questions, keep guiding them on the good or bad answers they gave earlier. Help them be their best selves. Help them navigate through, ask them for water or tea or even a break if possible. The interview is your chance to help a person be more confident even if you are rejecting her/him. The meeting is not there for you to tell them how cool you are 10 years from where the candidate is. The interview is not a revalidation that you are a tech guru and how cool it is to puzzle and reject a candidate. Be empathetic in an interview may help build someone's self confidence. The inverse is also true. #empathy #empathyatwork #interviewtips

Ghosting, no shows, robotic rejections, offer withdrawals, ignored applications and outreach. The US jobs market is messy. 🤨 What doesn't have to be broken is the human interactions between us. Have empathy with the people you're working with, for or managing ... and the people you're interviewing or those who reach out to express interest. No matter how senior, we've all been on both sides of this equation. With tech layoffs ongoing, there's a pool of talented workers available, making the opportunity for some companies larger, but the challenge of sorting signal from noise more difficult. The way to do that is not to dehumanise the people who want to work for your company. - Be respectful while moving quickly - Keep communication streamlined but make each one personalized - Be punctual with your time - Turn up to meetings - Be transparent - If you use an ATS, ensure there are human touchpoints None of this is hard and the world is far smaller than you think. Have a great weekend!