BossmakeHer Inc.’s Post

🚩Assertive vs. Aggressive Follow-Up: Understanding the Fine Line 🚩 Jobseekers, listen up, especially leaders. I know, I know. Ghosting is at an all-time high. Jobseeker stress is at an all-time high. Things are pretty messy in the market right now... The job search is an emotional process that can push us to the edge and shake us to our core. Given that, I thought it might be a good time to discuss the crucial difference between assertiveness and what might be perceived as aggression when following up with employers. Trust me, getting this right can make or break your chances. Imagine this: a small company with a part-time recruiter posts a job and receives over 500 applications. The company sets a goal to move quickly, but as a lean organization, the recruiter has to wait for input from others before moving the candidates forward. Here's what happens next: You... a) don't hear back when the recruiter said he/she said they would or worse b) you never hear back... Neither is ideal. But there is no benefit to drawing attention to failures or appearing frustrated or even irritated when following up with an employer. At BossmakeHer, we're in the trenches daily, supporting women through this journey. We are advocates who understand the new stress level you face today in a saturated market. But remember, employers are (hopefully) doing their best. Maybe it's not enough; it often isn't. But patience with employers, just as you seek transparency, demonstrates empathy, EQ, and business acumen. How do you handle a disappointment? How do you communicate when things don't go your way? Your response says a great deal about how you communicate during conflict. Now, about that "blackhole" feeling when you haven't heard back from an employer? Consider this: it might just be a delay. Best-intentioned recruiters may unintentionally ghost candidates due to overwhelming workloads or communication lapses; it's not personal. It's not great, but it's not about you. But you know what is about you? How you respond to a potential employer or recruiter who hasn't followed up seems obvious... Politely check in and see where they are. If they ghost you, move on, but don't burn a bridge. And here's a golden nugget of advice: never put other opportunities on hold just because you've reached out to a company. Keep those doors open until you have a written offer in hand. So, how do you rephrase your follow-ups to strike the right balance? Here are a few tips: ✅ Replace demands with inquiries, asking for updates politely. ✅ Express gratitude for the opportunity and understanding of their busy schedules. ✅ Maintain professionalism and positivity throughout your communication. ✅ Be patient but persistent, showing your genuine interest in the role. Remember, it's not just about landing a job; it's about building relationships and leaving a positive impression. Stay assertive, not aggressive to keep those doors open! 💼✨ #bestadvice #jobsearch

📣 If you work in Human Resources, this is for you...... I was in the job hunt in 2020. I had just left my last role after 8 years at the company on medical grounds and wanted a change. So I did what most people do – I actively applied for roles, got shortlisted, attended interviews and followed up. Some companies called me for another round. One put me through 4 interview rounds. Then – NOTHING. Silence. Actually, dead silence. A quick search on the internet confirms that I am not the only one who has faced this. I wondered what had happened. Especially after feeling like I was the best choice – I mean, 4 interviews in, I must be in the top 3, right? I never got to find out. Let me highlight the mental health cost of being ghosted by a job you thought you had. 🔔 Confusion – Feeling Lost Was it my attitude? Or Resume? Was it too long or too short? Should I call them? Should I email? 🔔 Anger – Feeling Used Why did they make me go through so many interviews? Some questions were repetitive. Were they necessary? How many of us were interviewing? 🔔 Feeling unworthy/not good enough Have I lost the 'touch'? I'm not skilled enough now? Do I need to go back to school? What new thing do I need to learn? 🔔 Fear Will this happen again? I'm I too old or too young? Did I do too much or too little? Were my references not picking up their phones? Or did one of them say something I don't expect? Ghosting doesn’t make anyone look good. Not the hiring team, HR or organization. While it may be brushed off as a usual happening, ghosting destroys morale and places undue pressure on people so they become something they are not. The changes people make to twist themselves into becoming the perfect candidate, only to fail to secure their desired roles, is disheartening. Worse still - if they get the job, who exactly will you be dealing with? By the time this person starts working somewhere else, they are resentful, unmotivated, maybe even vengeful. You may have not hired them but you have now contributed to a person’s workplace trauma. And that will eventually circle back to you. They will become a colleague in the future, supervise you or even work with people you end up hiring. And the collective negativity will have gathered back to your organization, leading to a toxic workplace and unhealthy environment that you will have to deal with. Take the time to tell someone they did get the job so they stop waiting in vain. And if they went through more than one interview, you owe it to them to give them the exact reason why they weren’t hired. A generic regret letter will not do. Seriously. #hiringalert #humanresources #ghosting #jobseekers #thursday #workplacetrauma #interview #postinterview #mindsetcoach #lifecoach ----- Want to heal workplace or job search trauma? Book your free call here https://lnkd.in/dVTv68ta

To all of you recruiters who think that bread-crumbing, ghosting, and soft ghosting potential recruits is a good idea:  IT'S NOT!! We, the unemployed, do not appreciate the breadcrumbs these recruiters leave behind. You’re giving us candidates hope when you know there is none. If a candidate is chosen to interview for a position, it is up to the recruiter to communicate on a regular basis with the candidate until the candidate is either chosen or not chosen for the position. We don’t appreciate being strung along, igniting excitement in a potential hiring situation all to be thwarted with no response.  Recruiters shouldn’t be “promoting“ excessive interview rounds, extending response times or giving candidates hope that an offer is imminent.  When recruiters ghost candidates, it signifies the organization is demonstrating unethical hiring practices and/or has a toxic company culture that has no respect for candidates. Ghosting lacks communication, empathy, and integrity. Ghosting gives off negative vibes and distresses emotional impact that can be detrimental to one's mental health. I’m pretty sure some recruiters feel some type of guilt when bread-crumbing or ghosting a candidate, which is not a good feeling to have. However, recruiters should be truthful about these intentions. Candidates are already frustrated at the fact that they need a job and not having a job to support their livelihood or even their basic needs. Recruiters throwing in monkey wrenches doesn’t make it any better. Bread-crumbing, ghosting and soft ghosting is rude and unbecoming. But not being truthful about all things involved is an entirely different animal. It’s a waste of time for both the candidate and the recruiter when you don’t follow up. There’s too much anxiety behind that. In the end, bread-crumbing, ghosting and soft ghosting is bottom line UNPROFESSIONAL. Candidates won’t hold anything against you if you just tell them the truth about their status for potential jobs. Of course it’s not going to be easy but, we want to know where we stand. That’s all we want.

Until recently, I believed that "ghosting" was predominantly a behaviour observed in the dating world or following disagreements between individuals. However, with over 25 years of experience in the recruitment industry, I have come to realise that this trend has become significantly prevalent—and detrimental—within the recruiter-candidate relationship. A simple internet search will reveal numerous articles and blogs addressing the question, "Why do recruiters ghost candidates?" It is worth noting that this phenomenon also manifests in the reverse, with candidates ghosting recruiters and it is rapidly increasing. Here, I offer insights into both the reasons behind this behaviour and its potential consequences. Why Does Ghosting Happen? Though I have never personally engaged in ghosting, I surmise that it often stems from a lack of transparency. Candidates may lose interest in a role if it no longer aligns with their career aspirations, or they may have accepted another position that takes precedence. Other factors could include misaligned salary expectations or shifts in personal or professional circumstances. What Are the Consequences? From a recruiter's perspective, the effects of being ghosted can be significant, including: Erosion of trust Limited future engagement opportunities Missed chances to present new and exciting opportunities Damage to one's personal brand, which is shaped by one's actions and interactions. Despite the wide array of negative outcomes, the solution is straightforward: maintain open and honest communication with your recruiter. From the get-go, establish and agree to how the rules of engagement need to be managed from both sides. Never fear having a change of heart - just let your recruiter know as much. A reputable recruiter will value transparency and will respect your decision, whether it's to withdraw from a process or to pursue other opportunities. Building a relationship based on mutual respect and clear communication is far more productive than disengaging without notice.

Recruiter's Life is soo Easy..... Well if you think so Please wake up to reality Recruiters have one of the most dynamic and challenging jobs out there, often requiring a mix of detective work, psychology, and a good sense of humor. Despite the serious nature of their work, recruiters often encounter some hilariously unexpected obstacles. 1. The Unreliable Candidate Candidates sometimes cancel interviews at the last minute or fail to show up altogether. This not only wastes the recruiter’s time but also can reflect poorly on the candidate pool when reported to hiring managers. 2. The Skill Set Mismatch A frequent issue is encountering candidates whose actual skills do not match their resumes. This can be due to exaggeration or misunderstanding of the job requirements, leading to wasted time and resources. 3. The Vanishing Act Candidates who accept a job offer but then disappear without a trace, known as “offer ghosting,” create significant problems for recruiters, who then have to restart the hiring process from scratch. 4. The Counteroffer Dilemma After going through the entire hiring process, a candidate might receive a counteroffer from their current employer and decide to stay put. This puts the recruiter back at square one, having invested time and effort into a now-lost candidate. 5. The Relocation Challenge Candidates willing to relocate often back out when they realize the practical and emotional challenges involved. This is especially tricky for roles requiring a physical presence in a new city or country. 6. The Overly Specific Requirements Some hiring managers have unrealistically specific requirements that make finding the right candidate akin to finding a needle in a haystack. This can significantly lengthen the recruitment process. 7. The Slow Decision-Maker Some companies have slow decision-making processes, causing delays that can result in losing top candidates who accept other offers while waiting for a response. 8. The Passive Candidate Chase Convincing passive candidates (those not actively looking for a job) to consider a new opportunity can be particularly challenging and time-consuming, often requiring delicate and persistent persuasion. Recruiting is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get. From resumes listing "ninja skills" to interviewees showing up in superhero costumes, recruiters encounter all kinds of surprises. Cheers to the recruiters who navigate these quirks with a smile and a sense of humor! Meghanand Patankar Preksha Shanbhag Kranti Londhe Riddhi Juthani Maitreyee Pimputkar Priti Tripathi

I've been toying whether to post this or not but after a recent discussion with one of the best candidates I've ever had the pleasure of working with, I decided it's important to share the low's not just the high's! A couple weeks ago I had a conversation with a candidate on a Friday, who expressed openness to new opportunities but emphasised they weren't in a rush to make a move. I offered to scope out potential companies for them and reconnect the following Friday. However, on the Saturday night, they bombarded me with job listings they were interested in, I offered to help approach the organisations on their behalf but they insisted on applying directly. They then abruptly demanded an update on Monday morning, seemingly shifting their urgency. When I gently questioned this change, they lashed out at me and even went so far as to block me on LinkedIn. What was even more surprising was this candidate was a fellow recruiter who was looking to get back into the sporting industry, so I couldn't even put it down to, them not being educated on the process. Maintaining an open line of communication with your recruiter is crucial. Such incidents are rare, but they underscore the importance of mutual respect and understanding in the candidate-recruiter relationship. A massive shoutout to all the fantastic candidates I've worked with recently, you make navigating situations like these less painful. Let's strive for professionalism and cooperation on both sides of the hiring process! #RecruiterLife #MutualRespect #WorkTogether #SuccessTogether

We live in the era of hyper-sensitivity. Candid feedback and constructive criticism in professional settings have become rare commodities, and that's especially true in hiring processes. Hiring managers and recruiters are too worried about hurting a candidate's feelings to tell them why they're being passed over, and I get why - too many of us take rejection too personally, rather than as an opportunity to learn, adjust, tighten up a career narrative, and grow. I have a different approach. I get hundreds of inbound applications for sales roles, and have dozens of conversations each week. The most common reason why I don't move candidates forward in the process is a misalignment in domain experience, and if that's the case, I will tell you that. If your resume is littered with 6 month, 9 month, and 4 month tenures over the past 4 years, I will tell you that you're not moving forward because your future boss is already convinced they'll lose you before you even ramp up. But I'll also show you how to tell your story in a better way the next time you swing the bat. If you choked on the discovery call demo, and weren't compelling enough, I will tell you that. Because the only way to raise your game is to first realize why it's not working for you. Do the work. If you show up for an in-person interview and spit your jolly rancher candy out in a water bottle while talking (true story), I will tell show you the error of your ways. Quite explicitly. Rather than hide the obvious, I want you to succeed. Sometimes, that means re-crafting and better articulating your career narrative. Sometimes, that's a painful reminder of the importance of preparation. Sometimes, you simply need to be fishing in another pond. Whatever it is, we all need to hear the truth. So, if you're looking for someone to tell you how great you are and then ghost you, better off sending me to voicemail.

The trait that separates high-performing Recruiters from their second-rate peers? Their mindset. You can directly equate someone’s success to the amount they complain about the things that happen to them. Mediocre Recruiters always have a gripe or an excuse at the ready. Elite Recruiters focus on what they can control. Three simple ways that successful Recruiters think about their work: ▪️ They embrace the grind. In the 20-22 working days we have a month, Recruiters are lucky to have 3 great days. The rest of the work - sourcing and messaging people who won’t respond, talking to candidates who don’t fit what we need, dealing with stakeholders who reject candidates for trivial reasons, investing time in relationships that won’t bear immediate fruit - is all table stakes for being successful. Are they the fun parts of the job? No. Do we do them anyway? Every day. ▪️ They approach every call with a sense of optimism. Picture this: it’s your 8th call of the day and you’re looking at the “B-profile” you’re scheduled to talk to next. You have two choices - nitpick the profile to death and question why you even scheduled the conversation, or prepare for the call as if you’re about to meet the person who’s going to be a great fit for the team. Give candidates the space to surprise you, and they occasionally will. ▪️ They eat rejection for breakfast (and lunch, and sometimes dinner, too). I’m a big fan of Jocko Willink’s simple but powerful reframing technique: “Good.” - Your perfect withdraws as you’re preparing to make an offer? Good - you avoided hiring someone who wasn’t all-in on the role. - Your stakeholders changed the requirements mid-flight? Good - you have more clarity about what the team needs the most. - You sent out dozens of messages with no replies? Good - you can diagnose what is making your messages ineffective, and send out a fresh batch tomorrow. The great Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius said it best: “Choose not to feel harmed - and you won’t feel harmed. Don’t feel harmed - and you haven’t been.” Focus on matters within your sphere of influence and let the rest work itself out - it always does anyway, regardless of the amount of inner turmoil you choose to endure.