Insights

This morning, I reconnected with a candidate I hadn't spoken to in about 12 months. A couple of years ago, he reached the offer stage with one of our battery startup clients but ultimately chose another opportunity.

Was I disappointed at the time? Absolutely.

Did I pick up the phone when he contacted me again? Without a doubt.

Why?

Playing the long game

I'm a firm believer in long-term relationships. Just because something doesn't work out initially doesn't mean the door should close forever.

How it's handled matters

This candidate's approach was key!

• He was open and honest with both me and the client throughout the process. We were aware of his considerations all along, and ultimately, we had a positive outcome with another candidate.
• He had genuine reasons for his decision. With a young family, stability was paramount, and he made the right choice for them.
• He even offered candidate recommendations to help us backfill the role.

Key Lessons Learned

Over the years, I've learned that highly emotional reactions are unproductive. When working with people, you can do everything right, and sometimes things still don't go as planned.

A Message to Candidates

Be like this candidate! There's a right way and a wrong way to conduct yourself in a hiring process. Handle it correctly - with honesty, transparency, and professionalism - and recruiters will be more than willing to work with you again in the future.