The JobSync Blog
Candidates and Temporary Nerves
November 8, 2011
In this challenging job market, recruiters and hiring managers have been expressing frequent frustration with the caliber of candidates they encounter. So when the seemingly perfect candidate comes along, the sense of excitement and expectation they feel is palpable. Which makes it that much more difficult for them to swallow when such a candidate begins to become unglued late in the selection process.
Recruiter Amy Ala discusses this matter in a piece over at Recruitingblogs.com. Ala tells the story of a promising candidate from a few months ago that she recruited for a job:
“When I first sourced him, he was terrific. Had the skills and education (very specific, prestigious university grad) my client wanted. Excellent culture fit– really brought the right start-up mentality and energy this position needed. We talked money/relo early and often. This should have been a relatively painless placement. And it was… until we got closer to the offer.”
And that’s when she explains the candidate lost it. He became a hyper-negotiator with respect to his salary, vacation, and parking spot, often reminding Ala how many offers he was sitting on. As the problems escalated, Ala came close to pulling the plug on the candidate with the hiring manager, fearing that he would tarnish her image. Cooler heads ultimately prevailed, and the candidate got the job. In fact, his “temporary insanity” quickly passed, and he soon surpassed his boss’ expectations. Today, he has emerged as a solid performer for the company, where he is respected by his peers.
But it almost didn’t happen. It’s a sobering reminder that when confronted with high stakes, candidates can let nerves, ego, or both get the best of them when it gets down to the wire (and that’s not counting the dispiriting power of self-sabotage that can also afflict capable candidates). Assessing, understanding, and addressing the dynamics behind such behavior is key to good hiring practices.
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