People talk. They talk about the weather. They talk about the Knicks. They talk about their kids, and their vacation plans. They also talk about you!
The world of finance is not as big as it seems. Reputation is everything, and it is important to do everything you can to develop a good one. Of course, doing that takes time. Cultivating a bad one, on the other hand—you can do that very quickly. And one of the fastest ways to do that quickly is to ghost a company or a recruiter after you interview.
Job hunting is time-consuming. The same is true of hiring. If you think it’s hard to find time for a 2 hour in-person interview, imagine having to block out multiple days for multiple people to do those meetings. If you have a thirty minute phone call with a prospective employer, that employer has other thirty minute calls to do too. In short: employers put a lot of time, effort, and money into trying to find the best talent possible. As you can imagine, they don’t respond well when candidates waste or otherwise disrespect the resources they’re spending trying to find the right person.
Recruiters feel the same way. We clear time to have calls, Zooms and meetings with candidates. Stuff happens and sometimes it’s not possible to let us know ahead of time that you won’t be able to make the appointment. But, sometimes, candidates ghost us. We never hear from them. We make a note of that. When at a future time, that candidate reaches out to us and actually needs a recruiter, they seem shocked that we are not interested in working with them. Our job is to find the best candidates for our clients, and we will not recommend someone who acts unprofessionally.
There are numerous legitimate reasons that you might want to pull out of a hiring process or turn down an offer. You may have a better opportunity elsewhere. You may have decided that the company’s culture or role wasn’t the right fit for you. You may have decided not to relocate; your bosses may have promoted you—it doesn’t matter the reason. It’s important to communicate clearly and directly with your interviewers and the recruiter, whether you are discontinuing participation or declining an offer.
An email will suffice in most situations, especially if you are early in a hiring process. However, if you are turning down an offer, or are in a late round of interviews, making a call will usually ameliorate any hard feelings. Companies have numerous, lengthy discussions about bringing in new staff. They have already discussed your fit and ability. It makes a good impression to respect that time by calling. It will help the hiring team better understand and respect your decision and will reinforce your reputation with them. Someone on that team may show up on a deal team with you later or at a future employer. Someone could be a future boss at another company. When that time comes, they will remember that you did the right thing and reached out.
People remember how you act. You may forget about an interview after you have decided not to pursue it, but those who have spent time talking to you and considering your potential fit at the company, will most certainly not forget you. People talk, and they have long memories. They will remember and likely share that you behaved unprofessionally when they interviewed you.
A quick phone call or email is all that it takes to protect your reputation. If you know you are not going to continue a hiring process, send an email. If you receive a follow up call, take it or return it. If you know you do not want to do a final round of interviews, or accept a position, make a call. The few minutes it takes to do so will pay off for years.
