After applying to the role, it took over a month before the recruiter reached out to me to schedule a phone screen. I selected time from his calendar and then 3 days before the scheduled call and without asking me or providing me with an explanation, he sent me an update to the time change for it to be 45 mins earlier than originally scheduled. I found that to be extremely rude and unprofessional, but I didn’t say anything because I wanted and needed the job.
When he called me, he just seemed so rude and didn’t even ask how I was or do any sort of ice breaker, structure overview, role overview or anything. Just ran his mouth for a good 2-5 mins before asking me a bunch of questions about my experience that were technical in nature. I have clinically diagnosed generalized anxiety disorder, so the way the interview went gave me a full on anxiety attack and I couldn’t calm down for days.
Either way, I sent him a thank you email after and no response. I also sent 2 additional follow-up emails over the course of more than 2 weeks after since he didn’t provide me with a time frame of next steps, and no response. Another thing I found extremely rude and unprofessional— especially when he’s the first interaction one has with a company, it was terrible. I then received a rejection letter a few days after sending the 2nd follow-up email.
I interviewed that same day with GM (prior to the Ford one) and I had a completely different experience. It was so positive and great. The recruiter was kind, did an ice breaker and genuinely seemed to care about me as a person and not just another task of the day. I didn’t get that role either, but after I sent my thank you note to that recruiter, she replied back just letting me know she’d be in touch in the next few days. A few days later she let me know the hiring manager chose to go with another candidate which was totally fine.
I share this experience because with the Ford one, I would never apply to another role because of how nightmarish the experience was. But with GM I would apply and join there in a heartbeat based on my experience.
Candidate experience matters. If you don’t like your job or what you do, then don’t be a recruiter. If you can’t represent your company in a positive manner, don’t be a recruiter. If interviewing people is a task you have no genuine interest in speaking with people— find a new career path. But don’t be rude and unprofessional.
Unemployed people are already going through enough right now than for someone to be rude and unprofessional. Do better.