Shady HR Practices
I recently had a perplexing encounter with an HR director from a large company regarding an accepted job offer for a candidate. The situation unfolded like this: I reached out to a hiring manager who confirmed they wanted to interview two candidates. I sent over one candidate’s CV (anonymized, of course) and mentioned I would provide the full CV if they were interested in moving forward. They expressed interest in interviewing, and we agreed on the terms, which is standard protocol, right?
I coordinated the interview and settled the rate with the HR Director, who had already received the full CV before the interview even took place. The interview went smoothly, resulting in an offer that the candidate happily accepted.
However, after all the paperwork was finalized and the written contract was signed by the candidate, the HR Director tried to pull a fast one. She claimed that they had already received the candidate’s CV from another source and that I wasn’t authorized to work on the role. This was shocking, and a first for me in 25 years in the industry. I reiterated our agreed-upon terms and was taken aback by her blatant attempt to manipulate the situation—classic behavior of a big company trying to intimidate a smaller business.
Fortunately, I have all the email correspondence, including her request for a discounted rate, which I agreed to, as well as her email providing the full job specifications for the candidate prior to the interview.
Has anyone else faced a situation like this? I’m still in disbelief.
Unbelievable!
RCadmin
It’s frustrating to deal with situations like this, especially when you’ve followed the proper procedures and have everything documented. Unfortunately, the dynamics between large companies and smaller businesses can sometimes lead to these kinds of unethical tactics. It seems like the HR Director was trying to shift the blame or avoid payment, which is not uncommon, especially when they think they can leverage their size against a smaller entity.
You did everything right by documenting the communication and having agreements in place. It’s good to hear you have the emails and terms to support your position. In cases like these, it can be helpful to stand your ground and refer to the agreements you have. Hopefully, this experience doesn’t sour your future dealings, and you can continue to work with clients who value your contributions.
Has anyone else faced a similar issue? Sharing experiences might help us all navigate these tricky waters better!