Forgetting interviews and other stress inducing characteristics

Today is National Stress Awareness Day and Sphere caught up with Senior Business Manager, Bex Hudson to find out what causes her stress in the job and and how a few simple changes to behaviour and ways of thinking can make a real difference.

 On Wednesday morning I said good morning to my bin men, as I do every week. This Wednesday morning was different though as I heard the reply, “thanks love, not many make an effort like you do”. 

It made me think, if that simple interaction costs me nothing but has such a positive impact why don’t more people do it? Perhaps because they aren’t thinking about the impact their actions are having or could have, something which as a recruiter, I experience frequently.

As an experienced recruiter having thick skin is a given and I’m used to being avoided in one capacity or another; whether it’s by a client when chasing feedback, or by a candidate I’m trying to brief on a role or arrange an interview for. Personally, it’s the latter which really has the biggest impact on me.

Of course, there are times when I will work with a candidate if I think they are right for the role but it’s very rare these days that I work with a candidate I haven’t worked with before. I’ve been in recruitment for 12 years and thus tend to help people who are known to me in one way or another. Why? Because there are a few things these unknown candidates may not think about that impact not only their relationship with me as a recruiter but also, and I’m sure I’m not alone, my levels of stress and anxiety.

"Rearranging interviews… “because you forgot”

It happens, things come up that are unavoidable and require your time but having to rearrange an interview or a call ‘because you forgot’ is extremely frustrating and says a lot about your organisational and time-management skills.

When this happens to me, alarm bells instantly start ringing and stress levels start rising.

Cancelling at the last minute

“Bex, I’m no longer interested in this role.” Not want you want to hear minutes before (or after!) the candidate should to be in an interview.

Not what you want to hear when you’ve checked in with them numerous times throughout the week to make sure they’re still interested in the role.

Not what you want to hear when you’ve set the interview/call up with the hiring manager and they’re taking time out of their day to be ready.

If the role’s no longer of interest, that’s absolutely fine! But letting me know earlier and considering how this would affect me and my relationship with the hiring manager would have allowed me time to find someone else for the role.

Cancelling at the last minute, not great for the stress levels…

Radio Silence

For me, this is the worst and the most stress-inducing trait of all.

Calls, no answer. Texts, no response. Emails, no reply. Calls again etc. This can go on and on…

I’m never annoyed with someone for dropping out of the process. I want them to choose the role that’s right for them and wouldn’t encourage any of my candidates to do otherwise. It’s perfectly fine to say no to things but not communicating the fact you’re not interested is criminal in my book.

In today’s massively connected world there is no excuse not to communicate in some way or another. Radio silence is just not acceptable.

The point of this isn’t to sit here and bash candidates but more to ask you to think about the impacts your actions are having on others. Today is National Stress Awareness Day 2018, so please consider the knock-on effect your actions can have. 99 times out of 100 my candidates are absolutely brilliant and communicative and give me the level of service I try to give them.

Geoff Ramm talks about delivering a ‘Celebrity Service’ and how the service level you provide shouldn’t differ between serving Brad Pitt or Joe Bloggs. We should all strive towards celebrity service and it works both ways; recruiter to candidate and candidate to recruiter. Receiving a great service makes you feel great and elevates your mood and experience.

Take the time to be considerate and honest with others. Being mindful of the consequences our actions, or lack thereof, have on people can make all the difference.