Why No-Shows Signal a Trust Problem

I had quite an intense conversation yesterday with a candidate who is currently unemployed. I interviewed her for a role, briefed her and a few others also in the similar position as this candidate about the role and informed them in which location the role will be. She seemed quite happy and wanted to proceed with her application. Upon presenting her to the client for consideration, the client expressed an interest to interview all candidates. I had no issues with the other candidates. Upon giving her the news that the client wants to see her for an interview, she tells me that the company is too far and that she won't have transport to travel there and back. Mind you, she lives within 5km of where the company is located. Can you imagine how flabbergasted I was when I heard this nonsense. This is what candidates need to understand. ❌ Not making an effort to show up for an interview tells me that you have a lack of commitment and a tendency to make excuses. It signals to that reliability may be a concern. ❌ Not communicating logistical challenges during the interview process, thereby creating a false impression of interest, raises questions about your trustworthiness. Honest and open communication is crucial. ❌ Am I going to present you with more opportunities in future? No, I cannot trust you. Trust is pivotal in professional relationships. A candidate who fails to address issues in a timely manner jeopardizes trust. This lack of reliability can impact future opportunities and recommendations within the industry. ❌ You have just been blacklisted as a candidate in my books. Harsh truth. What we want from candidates: ✔ You make the effort to show up. ✔ You communicate any issues well in advance. ✔ You address any concerns during the interview process. ✔ If you are running late, you give us or the employer a call the moment you realise that you may not make it on time. ✔ Answer your phone in a professional manner. Saying "Hello" in an unfriendly manner or remaining silent and waiting for us to address you first is very unprofessional and signals to me that your character and attitude may need to be checked. Remember, your actions during the interview process shape the perception employers and recruiters have of you. By being open, proactive, and reliable, you not only increase your chances of securing a position but also build a positive professional reputation that can benefit your career in the long run. #JobSearch #InterviewTips #CareerAdvice #ProfessionalDevelopment #JobSeeker #CareerTips #JobInterview #HiringProcess #CareerJourney #EmploymentOpportunity #JobHunt #CareerSuccess #JobOpportunity #WorkplaceTips #CareerGrowth

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗜𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲, 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗜𝘀: If someone books your time and doesn’t show up, that’s not a minor inconvenience, it’s a misalignment of values. And - most of the time - it’s a systems failure, not just a “busy person.” Here’s what 10+ years of discovery calls taught me: Every no-show is feedback. Most of the time, it’s telling you that your access is too easy, your boundaries too vague, or your filters too soft. We stopped blaming the client. We audited the pipeline. And we rebuilt four core systems: 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁: 𝗪𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀. No more open calendar links. If someone won’t complete a 60-second form, they won’t commit to a 60-minute programme. 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱: 𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. £25–£50 fully refundable deposit. Not for revenue. For readiness. Show-up rate went from 61% → 94%. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱: 𝗪𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. Short email. Short video. Clear expectations. 24-hour text confirmation: “Reply YES or the slot is released.” No confirmation = no call. 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵: 𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗻𝗼-𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄. Cold DMs? 37% no-show. Free lead magnets? 41%. Newsletter subscribers who read 3+ emails? 4%. 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. You can’t run a premium business with passive boundaries. And you can’t blame others for wasting time you didn’t protect. So we stopped moralising the missed call… And we started monetising the operational fix. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁. Respect it. Design around it. And lead others to honour it - by how you honour it first.

We've all been there—prepped and ready for an interview, only to be met with silence when the time comes. As a talent acquisition leader looking for my next adventure, I recently had this happen to me, and it’s frustrating. This isn’t what our profession stands for, yet when recruiters no-show on candidates, it reflects poorly on all of us. The candidate experience is essential and goes far beyond the interview itself. It reflects on the entire organization. When we ghost candidates, it sends a message about our company culture and values, and not in a good way 💔. We know how much effort candidates put into preparing. The research, the nervous excitement, and when that’s met with nothing, it’s disheartening. Most of us in recruiting are committed to treating candidates with the respect they deserve, but it only takes a few instances of ghosting to break that trust. Our reputation in talent acquisition hinges on how we treat candidates. We’re their first impression of the company, and showing up—literally and figuratively—is non-negotiable. Candidates are more than just resumes; they’re people with hopes and goals. If we can’t respect that, we’re failing at the most basic level. 💡 “People may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou Let’s commit to being present for our candidates. They’ve done their part. Let’s make sure we do ours. 💪