The Perplexing Case of the Persistent Candidate: A Recruiter’s Experience

As professionals in the recruitment industry, we often encounter candidates who leave us scratching our heads in disbelief. Today, I’m excited to share an experience that embodies the perplexing nature of some job seekers—a situation that seems worthy of a discussion!

Let me set the stage: I work with an agency specializing in a niche field where demand is consistently high. It’s the kind of industry where possessing the correct credentials is the key to securing a job, regardless of the economic climate. Enter one particular candidate who, for over a year, has applied to every position we offer, despite being out of work since March 2023.

This candidate’s resume is genuinely impressive, and given his level of expertise, his salary expectations align with what one might anticipate. His interview skills are noteworthy as well, so it’s all the more baffling that he has faced rejection from every client who interviews him. While none of us could decipher the reasons behind his failures, a sense of pity began to grow – after all, we had invested significant time trying to assist him.

Recently, however, a new opportunity arose that offered a “send to start” arrangement—a chance to bypass the interview process for a role that met his desired salary range. The candidate eagerly accepted the position and set a start date, but then—he vanished. He failed to complete any onboarding tasks, and despite our team’s efforts to reach him through calls and texts over several days, he was nowhere to be found.

In a twist of irony, a few weeks later, he resurfaced by accessing an old calendar link I had shared during our initial conversations. He scheduled a call on my calendar, which I promptly declined, as it was not an appropriate time for me to connect with him.

To my surprise, he took it upon himself to call me twice after hours on a Friday, followed by an email inquiring about why I hadn’t reached out to him.

As I contemplated how to respond, I found myself torn between laughter and frustration. I drafted a message expressing my feelings about this situation but stopped short, recognizing that it might come across as overly harsh. Instead, I decided to vent here, where I can share my thoughts with fellow recruiters who might relate to this conundrum.

To summarize: After a year of providing support to a candidate who couldn’t secure a job, he ghosted us upon finally receiving an opportunity. Weeks later, he attempted