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Recruiters and hiring managers keep treating my valuable time as disposable.
Elaine Varelas provides guidance on the importance of respecting job candidate’s time.
Q. I am currently employed, and am looking for a new job. I have been job hunting and meeting with recruiters and hiring managers for the last two months. I’m aggravated (and that is the nicest word I can think of) by the lack of respect many people I’ve been meeting with have with respect to my time. They are SO casual when they are late or ask to reschedule our interviews at the last minute or after I’ve sat waiting for 10-15 minutes for them in person or on Zoom. It’s infuriating and unprofessional. Can this be fixed?
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A. As everything becomes more casual, time seems to have become more casual as well when it shouldn’t be! It is limited, and we are all trying to do more with what seems less of it. Time is extremely valuable for individuals at every level of an organization and when people show up late to meetings it means they’ve put some other priority in place over the time that others made available for specific meetings.
When recruiters or hiring managers show up late for conversations with people who are currently working, they should be aware that many candidates have had to make special arrangements, such as stepping away from their work environment, dressing professionally, or arranging for a dog sitter to minimize distractions and position themselves in the most professional manner possible. Time is not elastic, and it doesn’t revolve around only you. It can be a powerful show of respect or disrespect depending on how it is used or abused. A CEO might keep an executive team waiting and will typically apologize, recognizing the value of the time wasted to try to eliminate the signal that they aren’t important. This same behavior should happen at all levels of the organization.
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If a hiring manager is late for a meeting with you, that could be a red flag about company culture. If you’re a recruiter representing your organization, it’s important to understand that the culture you are currently showcasing reflects what your organization values and how it treats people.
Recognize that the adage of “if you’re not early, you’re late” continues to be true for meetings, whether they’re face to face, in person, via video, or on the telephone. Recognize that chances are you’re going to have technology issues so it’s best to deal with those earlier. For those recruiters and hiring managers, do not over schedule yourself so much that there’s no transition time between appointments.
We all recognize that there are people that you meet on a regular basis that allow for more fluidity and flexibility where you can say give me 5 minutes, but that shouldn’t be what you become known for. As you know, a person who is consistently late does not show respect. Searching for a new job is stressful and you deserve respect during the recruitment process. If someone is late – more than 10 minutes, offer to reschedule. Let them know you want them to be available for the time allotted and not to be stressed by time constraints. If you are late, which you wouldn’t be because you read The Job Doc, apologize profusely and ask if the time still works. Don’t be last for group meetings, there is a message there too, and it does not go unnoticed by your colleagues or manager.
Be civil. Be kind.
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