So when did common courtesy become so uncommon? The stories I hear are many and incredible – candidates, hiring managers, and even what we all hope is the last bastion of corporate courtesy, Human Resources are all guilty.
Just one example of each from our recent experience:
1) Candidate completes thorough interview process, accepts an offer, resigns from his current employer and schedules a start date. You guessed it – a no show on day one! Worse yet, no return phone calls to explain what was ultimately learned – they had accepted a late offer from a competitor.
2) Hiring Manager schedules an interview with a promising candidate. Candidate receives call to “reschedule” meeting while they are arriving for the interview. OK, everyone has emergencies but then no call as promised to reschedule and when candidate takes the initiative to call the manager’s administrative assistant politely informs them the position has been filled.
3) Human Resources Director accepts a call on Tuesday from a candidate who had a three hour long interview with HR and the hiring manager seven days earlier. HR Director agrees interview went well and promises candidate will receive a call about status by Friday. You guessed it again – no phone call. Worse yet, a letter signed by the HR Director arrives on Monday informing the candidate another “more suitable” candidate has been identified and thanks them for their time.

Candidates, please know the recruiter, as well as anyone associated with the interview process, will remember you – not fondly and probably for a long time.

Hiring Managers and Human Resources – reputations (corporate and personal) are built by what may seem like inconsequential events. The professionalism and courtesy you show by simply “doing the right thing” will always pay long term dividends.

I started the year talking about making and keeping New Year’s resolutions, maybe all of us can choose more attention to business and personal common courtesy as one for 2015.