Equal Treatment For Recruiters and Candidates?

 There are lot of articles out there on the web like this one which tell candidates how do best deal with recruiters.

The article is a checklist of do’s and don’ts for job seekers when they are working with a professional recruiter. It was a breath of fresh air to see such a popular site basically instructing candidates to treat their recruiter with respect. With the exception of the bullet point that says they should work with multiple recruiters, few of us could argue with this sound advice, and most of us will wish every one of our candidates would stumble upon this article before we make first contact.

However, this article got us thinking. The majority of the bullet points on this list really do go both ways. Do you treat your candidates with the same respect you want them to give you?  Here’s some food for thought…

• Be Honest– Of course, we want to really hit the high point of any opening we are recruiting to fill. Getting a candidate excited about an opening is the only way to get them to follow through and accept a position if it’s offered. But are you honest with your candidates? Do you tell them the negative aspects of the job, every time? A candidate misrepresenting their qualifications or experience will get them blacklisted from further recruiting efforts. Likewise, we should not misrepresent what our clients can, and cannot, do for our candidate’s careers.
• Don’t Disappear– The bane of our existence is the disappearing candidate. We all know the one, he says he’ll be there for a phone interview and is not, or worse, says he will be at an interview and pulls the no-show. Likewise, if we decide somewhere along the way that the candidate we are considering is not a good fit, don’t disappear. You never know when that candidate may be a good fit for another opening. Even if you have uncovered something that makes the candidate ineligible for any openings you may have, you never know who that person may know that is perfect for your client. A polite and professional explanation of why you are choosing not to move forward helps keep doors open.
• Don’t Be a Pest-Learn to take a hint. If your candidate cannot be closed on a position after a few well-planned tactics are employed, move on. Hounding, bullying and coercing will only land you a bad reputation. Even if you do manage to strong-arm your candidate into accepting the offer, you will likely end up with more headache when the candidate falls off or accepts a counter offer. Remember you are a professional recruiter, with the keyword being “professional.”
• Don’t Take it Personally- No one can win all of the time, wish as though we might. Even candidates that are 110% closed on an opportunity can have a change of heart. Try what you may, but if it’s a loss, it’s a loss. Don’t take it personally, and move on. Letting a bruised ego ruin your day could cost you the opportunity to find the perfect candidate while you wallow in the aftermath of a lost fee.