Yes, you read that right, I’m going on record and saying it – I feel personally and professionally screwed EVERY TIME when: after weeks of intense direct sourcing and work, resulting in 3-5 candidates who have every element on their resume you asked for, the needles in the haystacks from the four corners of the agency world, we get the e-mail (NOT EVEN A CALL) from you: “Great news – we were able to fill the position internally by shifting someone from another account that lost some of its budget. Thanks soooo much for all your efforts, the candidates you showed us were great!”

Seriously? That’s all you have to say about it?

Do you remember your initial call saying you were SO DESPERATE to fill this position, and you had no candidates at all in the pipeline because of the very, very specific category experience required (let’s just call it casual dining restaurant experience)? Yes, now you do remember that? And now you can shift someone who’s got a financial services background working on your bank account and miraculously your very specific brand experience simply doesn’t matter to this oh-so-picky client? Wow. That’s pretty fortunate for you.

Here’s who it’s unfortunate for: the 3 candidates who all thought they had a shot at this cool position, who updated resumes, cleared schedules, and jumped on planes with a day’s notice, only to realize no one was hired. Hmm. Doesn’t look great for you.

Guess who else it’s unfortunate for? Me. Yep, that’s right, me. Me and my team of exceptionally hard working Recruiters who will literally do anything to deliver the exact candidate to you that you have described. They will work late, come in on weekends, strategize, stress out, deal with IBS, all for you. And this is how we are re-paid. Thanks again. You are now guaranteed 2 things: the next calls we make sourcing candidates will be to your employees, and that when you next find yourself in a desperate situation, the response definitely won’t be: “How High?” I realize this is harsh, but I can’t sugarcoat it.

I don’t mind losing a placement to a better candidate from another Recruiter – may the best man win. I don’t even mind losing to an internal referral from your current staff. But it chaps me like nothing else when no hire is made at all. How many other Recruiters were working for free for you? Please, please – at least have the decency to pick up the phone and call. (We know you’re avoiding us because you realize it was a crappy thing you just did to a firm who in good faith delivered exactly what you needed, now with no hope of any compensation.) Hell, even if your CFO won’t ultimately approve it, at least pretend like you’re going to fight for some paltry amount of a fee for the great efforts on your behalf. But mostly, if you think you can shift someone internally, investigate it before you call your recruiting firms. We work hard on good faith that you will be making a hire from the outside. Don’t let us down.

[tags]recruiter, internal shifting, hire, candidate, hiring revolution[/tags]