Looking for your next adventure is not a walk in the park and it can drain you emotionally, financially and physically. I had my fair share of job searches, interviews and disappointments in the past – but this article is not about me.
There are a good amount of people in my life who have either been laid off due to failed company strategies or are interested in new adventures in their professional life. Both require preparing CVs, searching for job opportunities, constantly applying to ads which seem aligned with their experience and crossing fingers for human interaction.
A bit of an emphasis on the lack of human interaction: A couple of weeks ago, one of my friends applied for a job with a tailored CV and a clear cover letter highlighting how his experience aligns with the advertised requirements. He received a rejection email 20 minutes after clicking “Send” and adding insult to injury, the email said he was rejected “after careful consideration”.
Many examples of similar stories are shared on job boards as well as Linkedin. By now, we all know the probability for a CV to reach a human being to be “carefully considered” is close to impossible.
Then, there is another side to the coin – when you actually find a human being and communication starts.
5 rounds of interviews, 2 case studies followed by a panel interview – really?
Makes me question the expectations of recruiters as well as the companies in question. Are job seekers expected to ask “how high” when the recruiters say “jump”?
Of course, companies have every right to be selective when hiring, but there’s a fine line between a thorough process and an exploitative one. Expecting candidates to invest weeks in a hiring marathon — without even a guarantee of feedback — goes beyond due diligence. It signals a disregard for people’s time, energy, and well-being.
This is why a solution-oriented approach is so crucial. Hiring shouldn’t be a power game; it should be a two-way conversation built on mutual respect. Organizations that recognize this and streamline their processes not only attract stronger candidates but also build a reputation as fair and desirable workplaces. It’s not just about hiring the best talent—it’s about showing that you value people, whether they end up joining your team or not.
Goodwill goes a long way. A simple, genuine rejection email instead of an automated, insincere response. A fair, structured interview process that respects both the employer’s needs and the candidate’s time. A clear and honest communication line instead of a series of ghosting incidents. These are small but meaningful ways to improve the experience for job seekers—because at the end of the day, the way companies treat candidates says a lot about their workplace culture.
So here’s a question for recruiters and hiring managers: If a job seeker walked away from your hiring process without any response or even humane interaction-which doesn’t need to be in person-, would they still speak highly of your company? If the answer isn’t a confident yes, then perhaps it’s time to rethink the way hiring is done.