Recruitment and Ghosting

[Jeffrey Walton]

On Tue, Jul 29, 2025 at 11:29 AM James Tobin <jamesbtobin at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hello,
>
> Have you ever heard of a headhunting firm going so far as to pursue
> legal action against an employer for failing to provide feedback or
> progress a candidate's application?
>
> Here’s what happened:
>
> An employer abruptly and suspiciously cancelled their contract with a
> headhunting firm after refusing to provide feedback or move forward
> with candidates that were secured after meeting with a hiring manager
> that they had previously recruited for with no issue. What’s striking
> is that this wasn’t just any recruiter — this was a headhunting firm
> with a solid track record. They took the time to meet hiring managers,
> understand the roles, and craft compelling narratives to attract top
> talent. This wasn’t a “spray and pray” approach via LinkedIn; it was
> bespoke recruitment.
>
> The firm ran into serious issues with one manager.  These concerns
> were escalated (as per the contract) to HR and the recently retired
> CTO (as well as the CEO who chose not to converse with the recruitment
> consultant by phone). Concerns raised included:
>
> 1. Unfounded rejections of qualified applicants;
> 2. Frequent and inconsistent changes in hiring location preferences;
> 3. Inappropriate comments made to the recruiter about a candidate;
> 4. Allegedly describing the role to a candidate during the interview
> as “shovelling horse shit”.
>
> That same manager now possibly holds more sway within the organisation.
>
> The headhunting firm sent a concise one-page letter outlining their
> concerns. The employer replied with a lengthy four-page document,
> firmly stating they were under no obligation to provide feedback or
> engage further. Four pages — in response to one — defending their
> refusal to comment or cooperate. That reaction alone raises eyebrows.
>
> To make matters worse, when the headhunting firm tried to speak with
> the HR representative responsible for terminating the contract, that
> person refused to discuss the candidates altogether. However, they did
> make unsolicited comments about the recruiter’s assumed skin colour
> and gender, and dismissed the firm as a “one-man band.”
>
> This story is still unfolding, but one thing’s clear: the issue of
> employers ghosting candidates needs serious attention. When
> headhunters are putting in real work — representing employers with
> professionalism and dedication — being stonewalled and insulted isn’t
> just unprofessional. It’s unacceptable


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