:60 read | Chime in on LinkedIn here and Twitter here
The dirty little secret of ghosting and half-assed job seeker feedback:
đEvery recruiter you know has been verbally abused - countless times - by people who couldnât handle raw feedback.
Feedback that should help job seekers improve on their next interview. Which everyone needs.
Before I step in sh*t with both feet: this is not a ârecruiters good / job seekers badâ piece. In fact that false dichotomy is another example our descent into pointless tribalism.
But we need to acknowledge two parts of the human condition:
1. People can react poorly to things they donât want to hear when theyâre overwhelmed with stress.
When youâre struggling to pay the bills and someone tells you no, you might say things you shouldnât. Iâve known kind people morph into âyell at the waiterâ types in the wrong circumstances.
2. Once youâve been lit up by a total stranger you were trying to help, itâs not something you want to experience again.
And thatâs why feedback can go from being direct and constructive to minimal and unhelpful.
The fix?Â
I donât know if there is one. Not on a macro level. Cognitive dissonance, emotional responses and conflict avoidance are hard-wired into our DNA.
But if you set your expectations lower, it isnât a hopeless situation.Â
đShow kindness to someone who gives you bad news.
đHave courage in delivering feedback, knowing it may not be well-received.
And if you canât, maybe consider a different line of work. This ainât ever changing.
You can follow me on LinkedIn here and Twitter here. Join the discussion on this LinkedIn post (or give it a đ) here.
"Show kindness to someone who gives you bad news." - thank you, this is a valuable idea I have not had before!