Unfinished Puzzle. The Story of a Recruitment
Recruitment can be easy, straightforward, and pleasant. But some are more challenging from the start—even if only because of the specific requirements of the client for whom we are seeking a team member. In such cases, we know from the beginning that the process may be longer and more tedious. But how sweet is the satisfaction of a happy ending at the end of such a recruitment! It's worse when, after such a "happy ending," there comes... an unexpected plot twist. When can we really say that recruitment was successful? On the day it ends? When the contract is signed? After the first quarter of working together, or perhaps... after a year? There is no simple answer to this question—as you will see in the story of a particular recruitment we want to tell you about today.
ChatGPT said:
Fot. Weronika Dyląg
A Candidate Like in a Fairy Tale! Enchanted HR and a Happy Ending?
Imagine our relief and joy. We make the call. We gather and confirm the information. The candidate passes the initial screening. He seems a bit distant. Not very enthusiastic about the meeting we’re inviting him to. But that’s not a problem. After all, we’re not always looking for a social butterfly. Not everyone feels comfortable in social situations. And that’s perfectly fine.
When we met for the first time in the client's presence, everything seemed fine. The candidate "nails it" in the technologies the client seeks. They are very focused on the technical part, and the "soft" questions seem a bit more challenging for them, but there's no longer that distance and reluctance that seemed to fill the first phone conversation. The candidate is simply reserved and seems to belong to those who do not readily show their emotions. We send the proposal to the client.
As if by the wave of a magic wand—the client evaluated the CV very positively and proposed a meeting. Of course, we are joyous and euphoric because it's rare for a decision to be made so easily and quickly after sending a CV. Our candidate—still reserved and calm—agreed to meet with the client. The meeting went smoothly. The client was thrilled with the technological fit and the candidate's skills, focusing on this aspect for most of the conversation.
A few days later, we received the news—we're hiring!
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If This Is a Fairy Tale, There Must Be Obstacles!
We were a bit sceptical that it finally worked out. While preparing the documentation needed to process the contract, the candidate distanced himself again and approached us with a series of new questions and issues that hadn't been raised earlier in the recruitment process. Often, in an unpleasant and accusatory manner, they pointed out that the proposed contract did not contain clauses they expected (and which were neither standard clauses nor mentioned by the candidate previously).
Of course, this did raise some concerns for us, especially regarding the personality fit with the team already working on the project. However, the joy of success—the client’s satisfaction and the opportunity to support the project—effectively overshadowed our slight doubts about the candidate’s behavior.
And They Lived Happily Ever After…?
If the story ended here—we could all celebrate a happy ending. The candidate got the job. The client got the technological support they were looking for. The time-to-hire was excellent for such a demanding recruitment. Just open the champagne and announce a ball at the castle! However, you probably guessed there's a "plot twist" ahead, and unfortunately, it doesn't go in the direction of "and they lived happily ever after." The metaphorical midnight struck, the carriage turned back into a pumpkin, and excellent technical skills did not magically offset the mismatch in personality.
...but Far from Each Other.
As a result, the candidate is no longer working with the client. They lasted a little over six months. Conflicts, misunderstandings within the team, mismatched working and communication styles, and a lack of flexibility in these areas ultimately led to an inability to find common ground—and to the termination of the contract. In short, the organization wasn’t a fit for the candidate. And the candidate wasn’t a fit for the organization. For six months, both sides tried to bend reality—struggling to make it work.
While the pieces from the bag labelled "technologies and hard skills" created a work of art, the second bag labelled "expectations, soft skills, communication styles" couldn't be used to make any meaningful picture.
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The Moral? Recruitment Is a Longer Story—Not Just One Paragraph!
During the recruitment process, we cannot focus on selected elements at the expense of seeing the full picture. To call it a success, we need to take all aspects into account—both hard and soft factors that indicate whether the candidate fits the organization (and vice versa). What’s more, it’s important not to ignore "red flags" or the intuition developed through many recruitment processes. It’s worth thoroughly examining the areas that raise concern. We should try to identify the root causes of potential issues. It’s a good idea to think about this in advance—to consider what would need to happen for the collaboration to work. That might involve a change in the candidate’s approach. Or it might require changes on the organization’s side. The ultimate goal is to achieve a harmonious cooperation.
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IT Recruitment—You Can't Rush a "Happy Ending."
If there hadn’t been time pressure, specific requirements, and the sudden relief that came with the client’s quick and enthusiastic acceptance of the candidate—would we still have taken the risk and decided to hire this person? We would certainly have taken more time to reflect on whether it was the right move—both for the client and for the candidate. Because when there’s a good match, everyone benefits, and when there isn’t, everyone loses. In summary, this situation reminded us that—even though recruitment formally ends when the contract is signed—the process of achieving a true fit can continue, and it’s worth monitoring it with the insights gained during recruitment.
Editing: Agata Krajewska
