Recruiters are considered experts in hiring by most candidates. Even the least successful of us have a load of knowledge on the employment processs that a lot of candidates will never have, and so when it comes to asking about the local job market, our opinion tends to carry a lot of weight.
Unfortunately, most candidates we talk to aren't hired. It's a function of the system. If we had 100% contact to hire ratios we'd all retire after a month, or if we worked inside, would be let go because of full employment.
So what do we do? Far too many recruiters talk down the economy or the hiring prospects as a defense against job-seekers who want to know why they weren't chosen by us or our client. And that's the charitable explanation. We're also prone to making warnings about the recession to depress salaries, a tactic that would never fly internally, but third party firms find it creeping up whenever we get a good person on the phone who wants to know why we couldn't perform.
Look, I know it's tough to tell someone that they weren't selected, or that we chose to submit someone else. The easy route is to blame malevolent forces outside of our control, and even if we do want to help, telling someone the truth about why we they weren't hired it liable to earn you an ungrateful earful, and no doubt some nasty words to friends and family.
I know full well that there are crazy people out there, and there are also a whole lot of unrealistic yahoos who think it's our job to map out their careers. They expect us to be career counselors, even though they're not the ones paying us, and they're just as likely to try to go around us as work honestly with us. So is a white lie really the best answer?
Show some spine people. Candidates worth working for and with respect competence and professionalism. Those who don't, aren't your concern. If you can be honest and upfront with candidates from the beginning, you can demand professional conduct as a condition of working with you. Sometimes things don't work out. That's life. The correct response is not to say "it's tough all over," but instead to exhort the candidate to put real time and energy into their job search. Tell them to buy books, attend networking functions, and practice interviewing.
Whatever you do, don't submarine someone looking for work with dark thoughts about the economy. 6.9% unemployment is bad, but it's not 10%, or 25%. There are jobs to be had, but pessimistic whiners aren't the ones getting them. And if you actually like the candidate, you're not doing them any favors telling them it's hopeless.
For more from people tired of hearing the economic bluebirds, check out YourHRGuy and Maren Hogan (and her Dr Seuss reference).
