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December 2025

The Haircutting Experience

Career Insight, Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

I learned over the weekend that my Cousin who is a Barber by trade, has mobilized his business. He invested in a mini truck that he converted into a barbershop and drives around to various locations, parks, and cuts hair (see pictures below). Traditionally, you had to visit a salon and Barbershop to get a fresh cut. Now, the cut comes to you… The Pain Point Barbershop’s historically have always had retention issues. The path towards being a shop owner typically starts with finding a physical location (usually in a densely populated strip mall). From there, you’d recruit other barbers to work in your shop and rent out your chairs to them (typically 3-4 chairs in a standard barbershop). Each barber is essentially operating as a solopreneur under the banner. The Idea He was inspired by a tattoo company that is entirely mobile. His vision was to mimic the tattoo model by mobilizing the haircutting experience. With the proof of concept already in place, it was full steam ahead from there… Talk about addressing the needs within your market segment in a simple and elegant manner. Naturally, I thought about recruitment… Recruitment On Wheels? “Recruitment on wheels” sounds catchy, but doesn’t have the same degree of credibility… Firstly, we’re already a ubiquitous service…perhaps to a fault (maybe some scarcity would improve our public perception)… Secondly, the issue is not our mobility or availability. The elephant in the room when I talk to decision makers is entirely tied to trust… Can I trust you to do what you’re saying you can do? What makes you different from everyone else? Recruitment is not suffering from poor technology integration or lack thereof… Dressing a pig in a tuxedo does not change its nature. It’s still a pig… Similarly, technology won’t magically transform a poor recruiter into a good one… Decision makers don’t care about your tech stack. They care about their time not being wasted and you delivering the right people who can move the needle for the organization… How you get that talent over the finish line is a cherry on top. Some of the best recruiters I’ve witnessed were not tech savvy. In fact, their submissions to clients were anything but aesthetically pleasing… The resumes were not properly formatted, and emails were poorly written or lacked depth… Yet, what they did very well and what made them successful was their ability to address the needs of their clients… Their relationships were built on them keeping their word and delivery within hours (not days or months)… They did not waste time… That’s what recruitment must return back to, and automation should only facilitate what’s already working well. Summary My Cousin found a gap in the industry, met the need, and carved out a place for himself in a crowded marketplace… …he addressed some of the primary struggles that are prevalent in the barbering industry (owning a shop/renting out chairs/retention), and his future goal is to have a fleet of trucks that can be deployed to different locations. He’s definitely on his way.

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Rebuilding the Recruitment Industry – The Pillars

Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

The foundation of recruitment has been compromised by pressure and greed, and this has been strengthened by managers who have placed profit over ethics. A corrupt foundation will only produce corrupt professionals… I believe the issues that plague the recruitment industry are directly tied to leadership. You can’t fix something until you’ve identified that a problem exists, and you’re willing to make the changes necessary to restore it back to its original – the state that was once respected & treated like a partner, and not a vendor. We’ve taught tactics and best practices, but we failed to groom character & integrity. Character is vital if you’re going to have any success in the profession. We’ve become enamored with the unlimited earning potential, but neglected the ethics that made the service a credible extension for a company looking to scale. I’m hopeful because I believe that the restored state of recruitment has the potential to be more valuable than what was originally created… The present state of the recruitment industry is flashy and boasts a great deal about their offerings, but most recruiters vanish under pressure, leaving a trail of disgruntled people along the way… I’m hard on the industry because I care, and to who much is given, much is required. Today, we call that paying it forward… We’ve confused talent with character… We’ve encouraged entrepreneurship without ensuring that our professionals go through rigorous training. I was fortunate to grow where I was planted, and while difficult, I was faithful to the process, and the results have produced good fruit… That’s why the industry is no longer valuable… A candidate who I placed over 10 years ago into a role that catapulted him to a great career in his field, reminded me that I am more than a resume pusher… “Troy, I have a home today because of you…” Sobering to know that I could be used to help build a family’s future through what I do as a profession… The pillars of this industry are human built. Advancements in technology serve to enhance the human experience. Those who understand this will leverage it appropriately… This only happens when your foundation is strong and you are fully self aware… What do you want to be remembered for? What sort of legacy are you creating? The foundation of every legacy is a compilation of your daily interactions with people… The placement is the by-product of treating people with respect… Too many recruiters focus entirely on the carrot.

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The World Needs External Recruitment

Artificial Intelligence, Employer Insight, Human Resources, Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

Demand is soaring for talent globally, but enrolment in recruitment best practices is declining, and younger people are deciding not to pursue a career in the sector. How can the industry do a better job of attracting & retaining talent and changing negative perceptions? The disconnect is alarming – 1 in every 4 recruiters will leave the industry after their first year, and demand for competent professionals has reached an all time high. Add to this a persistent talent shortage across key sectors, and I would definitely report to Houston that we have a problem. Current & Future Challenges Within engineering alone, we are seeing a rise in enrolment into areas like Artificial Intelligence, Renewable Energy, and Biomedical/Healthcare. Understandable given the surges we’ve witnessed in digital transformation, concerns about climate change, and a population that continues to age coupled with the integration of technology. Recruitment has never been more necessary for the challenges we face as a society, and there is strong correlation between (good) recruitment and a sustainable economy that can compete globally. The priority remains to connect good people with good companies, and this is where recruitment can be a difference maker. An average position vacancy can take anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks to fill, but we’ve seen this number increase over recent years with roles being left open for upwards of a year. Factors such as applicant volume, internal approvals, poor screening practices, and an inability to decide on the part of hiring executives have extended this process to the frustration of job seekers. This talent conundrum is being felt globally by decision makers who are facing the reality of not being able to deliver on production targets and strategic objectives. It has never been more complex to hire and retain talent over recent years, and recruitment must step up to alleviate the challenges that organizations are facing and will encounter in the future. Our ability to compete as a nation is directly tied to how we groom, stimulate, place, and retain our best and brightest, and this starts at the ground floor level – a better trained and more competent fleet of recruitment professionals who understand current market pressures, can connect with people in meaningful ways, and lead them into favourable situations. Future Recruitment Professionals The lack of appeal to younger professionals is due in part to misconceptions around recruitment. A train of thought that positions recruitment as a sleezy and ubiquitous career choice with no real guardrails to protect the professions integrity. Recruitment is not an aspirational industry for young people to join. “When I grow up, I want to be a recruiter,” does not exist in most households since there are hardly any good examples for our young people to emulate. You sort of stumble into the sector and make it work. If you catch on quickly, you can experience real success. If not, then it’s unlikely that you’ll remain in the industry beyond a year. This is supported by the fact that there is no direct pathway into the field through formal education or training. Anyone can be a recruiter – great for someone at a career intersection or mid-life crisis, but detrimental to the credibility of the industry. Furthermore, the focus on hitting quotas and punishment rather than support & rehabilitation for underperformers have increased the revolving door or forced recruiters to engage in short-sighted, unethical behaviour. Even though organizations continue to rely on “recruitment practices” to meet their targets, very few have the internal resources & expertise to enter the marketplace, engage in conversations with the top percentile of talent, & bring them over the finish line. The distance between that hiring requisition and filling the position is vast, and there is a misunderstanding of where recruiters actually add value and how they work. The recruitment industry has to do a better job of demonstrating its legitimacy to its marketplace and to future professionals. Void of a better marketing campaign with appeal beyond just earning potential, recruitment will continue to face attraction & retention problems within its own ranks, and those problems will undoubtedly be transferred to job seekers and hiring executives. Rebranding as a Mechanism of Change Recruitment needs to be rebranded to the marketplace, but this starts with making impactful changes internally. This starts with improving our leaders, more formal training that builds character and resilience, compassion during periods of drought, and incentives that actually reward performance. Recruiters will continue to be the drivers of growth for our economy, but they must reposition themselves as an essential service in the marketplace by first changing their own self perception. You cannot allow others to dictate how you work and what you work for. Any rebranding campaign that does not emphasize the human experience & time savings will not gain traction in the market. Automate as much as possible, but the human connection can only come from a human. This cannot be replaced, nor mimicked.

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Stop Promoting Yourself

Career Insight, Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

Too many leaders advertise themselves. One lengthy bio after another… We’re more informed about the qualifications of these people then we know about what they & the organizations they represent stand for… (…truly stand for.) Everyone is a servant, thought, or compassionate leader these days, yet employee disengagement is at a record high… People are depressed & facing severe career malnutrition, yet leadership advice has littered every social media platform, and it’s only becoming more prevalent… If leadership quotes could help us, then we wouldn’t be experiencing widespread layoffs at all levels within an organization… We’re drowning under leadership best practices and Sunday night is still a source of anxiety for many professionals… The issue with advertising a leader is a matter of unpredictability. That individual could leave the company, be demoted, pass away, or change… Then what? If you’re attraction to an organization is solely based on the person leading it, then it’s possible that you could be disappointed in the near future… I love Texas! Every time I’m there, I feel like I’m at home. There’s something in the atmosphere that puts me in a safe zone. I love the food, the people, and the hospitality that I feel from the locals. I love the Lone Star State, yet I’ve never met nor had a conversation with Governor Greg Abbott. In fact, I know very little about the man… Despite my ignorance of who their leader is, I’m strongly attracted to the State of Texas; so much so that we’ve discussed owning a home out that way… My interest in Texas has nothing to do with its leadership. It has everything to do with the culture that has been created by those in charge… I fell in love with Texas before I ever knew who their leader was… We’re promoting the wrong message to people, and the connection to the environment and its values have become an afterthought… People want to grow… They want financial freedom. They want control of their time. They want flexibility to prioritize things outside of work when it’s necessary. They don’t want carrots dangled in front of them, and they definitely don’t want to feel like slaves to someone else’s ambitions. Stop advertising yourself and start promoting the values, ethics, and attributes of the environment you represent to people… People are attracted to culture & perks; they leave leaders who are defective and lack character… Create the right environment with an unshakeable set of core values, and you’ll never have to advertise your leadership… I wrestled with the idea of posting a Christmas picture of my family around the tree last night… It’s of course seasonally appropriate to do so, and I’ve been inspired by the many lovely photos I’ve seen posted… While tempting, I opted not to post a picture… Trying to ingratiate myself to you is a high that many leaders feel that fades away quickly. People and circumstances are changing every day, and I’d rather you fall in love with the thing that will remain long after I’ve passed on.

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Mutually Beneficial Persuasion

Career Insight, Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment, Sales /

Real selling isn’t aggressive… It doesn’t manipulate and it’s not desperate… To be effective and to foster healthy relationships, stop selling the way you’ve been taught, immediately! In fact, let’s not call it selling anymore. There’s too much negative thought associated with that word… Instead of sales or selling, what if we coined it, “Mutually Beneficial Persuasion”… Let’s explore this… The primary grievance about traditional selling is its focus on being quantitative, and not qualitative… “Selling is a numbers game!” – how many have been fed this lie? Stop speed dating! Stop selling! You’re dialing to meet quotas, and there’s no life in what you’re saying… Those you speak to know that it’s not about them. Your interests are entirely self-serving… So, what is mutually beneficial persuasion? Simply, it’s about putting others first… Where does the “mutually” come into play? By putting others first, you’re making it mutual… You are a supply chain for others… When you make it about you, your pipe immediately clogs up, and you end up with nothing to give… Selling is a distributive act. Modern day thought has made it about receiving… I recently had a meeting with some company executives that I’m looking to work with… I did not leave with a signed agreement, but the meeting was a success… I concluded for them that they did not need me (i.e., a Search Partner) to fill their position… I sat across from decision makers whom I traveled to meet with at their office only to tell them that the best use of their time & money was not to use me… They are well governed with strong cashflow, but they’re at the infancy stage of their growth trajectory. They don’t need a Search Partner; they need an advisor; an ally. Someone to tell them the truth. Real selling is about becoming whatever they need you to be in the moment… The reaction from the President was interesting to say the least, but I left feeling like I did something good for the company. We ended up talking for close to 90 minutes about their business, their marketplace, and their steps towards future growth… We shook hands, exchanged holiday greetings, and I went back home to take my kids skating… No contract, no position to fill, just an exchange of value that had nothing to do with me and what was seemingly best for my business… A real “pipeline” is a distributor. It flows freely to others… The faucet in your sink is a producer; a one way channel of value to a thirsty person… A faucet is not installed for what you can do for it. It’s sole purpose is to serve… This is mutually beneficial persuasion. More to come on this…

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Clarity

Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

Good leadership makes you feel safe by providing clarity, and confusion is an enemy to progression… Through no osmosis, I’ve identified the type of leader I don’t want to be, which is indirectly shaping the leader that I am becoming… My obsession with the topic of leadership was formed through my own personal experiences with it… Personally, my Wife is factual, and data driven. I am feelings/emotions driven… Admittedly, I’ve experienced the dangers of relying too much on emotions… This explains my affinity to emotional leaders over the years. There was common ground between us, and I felt safe around them… Interestingly enough, the leaders that I experienced the most difficulty with throughout my earlier years were deeply analytical & factual. How I treat people and the experience I endeavour to provide is the engine behind my approach to leadership… Self-awareness is the first step in this process… People follow you when you are clear of who you are, what you want, and where you desire to be… Any hint of ambiguity will compromise your position as a leader… Self-awareness allows good leaders to lead with clarity, and clarity builds a tent of safety around their followers… It’s an intentional and strategic process of self-discovery that only the courageous embark on… This is why feedback is necessary from those around us since we’re fundamentally blind to our own shortcomings… Those who solicit feedback from others and make the required adjustments become our best leaders and create environments that are safe for their followers. Over my 15 years as a Search Partner, I’ve had countless conversations with leaders from all walks of life. Through this journey, I’ve concluded that leadership and recruitment are interconnected. They’re so closely tied to each other that when one is in a delinquent state, it negatively impacts the other. Recruitment provides the people who are then coached, mentored, and directed by leaders. In light of this, I’m deeply invested in the development of our leaders to make sure that I am truly doing people a good service… Recruiters who have reduced themselves to just ‘resume pushers’ have diminished their own value in the marketplace… Let’s grow your business, together.

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Forget Ethics, We’re Hurting The Marketplace By Not Giving People Feedback

Employer Insight, Ghosting, Human Resources, Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

Ghosting was the unofficial theme for 2025… We can all agree that no one deserves to be left in the dark… Human decency dictates that everyone is worthy of being told how an interview or meeting went… This new anti-ghosting legislation coming into effect in 2026 is being received with some pessimism, with some believing that it will offer no real value to someone who could use such feedback from an employer as a catalyst for self-reflection & self-improvement… To fulfill his mandatory media obligations and avoid fines, Marshawn Lynch aka “Beast Mode” of the Seattle Seahawks took part in a memorable media day press conference in 2015. He was quoted as repeatedly saying – “I’m here so I won’t get fined” … “I’m here so I won’t get fined” … “I’m here so I won’t get fined”… Check out the official clip here – https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tF7nQibuWjA I’m afraid that many decision makers will only comply with this new law just so they won’t get fined, meeting base standards with the absolute least amount of effort… Cue the rise of automated (generic) responses that job seekers can expect to receive as a result of this new bill – “After careful consideration…” My major concern however is how such feedback will negatively impact our quality of talent, unemployment, and productivity within the work environment. Anyone who has ever written a persuasive essay in grade school is familiar with their professor’s infamous red pen… Those who struggled with persuasive writing are quite accustomed to seeing their papers returned covered in red ink… While disheartening, your professor’s red pen was a sign of mercy and redemption… You were usually given a chance to review the comments with your professor, make the necessary corrections, and re-submit your paper. The process could take 2 or 3 revisions, but in the end, you usually ended up with a better grade had you not taken those steps… This process of self-editing based on constructive qualitative feedback produced a better grade & student in the end… Let’s not forget the importance of feedback that allows someone to make the necessary adjustments and how that can positively impact their future… By not providing job seekers with this sort of information, we are allowing them to proceed through the marketplace at a disadvantage, thereby diminishing the quality of their interactions with companies, which will result in more widespread frustration from both sides… As a Search Partner with 15 years in the recruitment industry, I’ve had countless candidates ask for feedback after their interviews no matter how negative it was… They viewed feedback as a way of measuring their growth… So, if we are going to mandate that decision makers provide feedback to applicants as part of an anti-ghosting initiative, let’s double click to make sure that the feedback is specific, thoughtful, & honest… We owe it to our society to ensure that we are positioning our best for long-term success.

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I Gave Up Speed Dating To Scale My Business

Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

For those who are familiar with speed dating or old enough to remember it during its rise, think of a pressurized room filled with enthusiastic single people searching for companionship under strict time constraints. As you move from table to table, person to person, you quickly begin to realize what works for you and what doesn’t. Those conversations, while brief, can convey a lot about you to the other person and vice versa. There’s hardly enough time to form an organic connection with someone, but many turn to it to increase their odds of ending the year in a relationship… It’s timed due to the number of attendees with the purpose being to give everyone a chance to make an introduction. If a connection is made, you can opt to pull out with that person or you can proceed to the next table. The time constraint can be a friendly ally to someone who is completely disinterested or uncomfortable with the person they’re seated with… This year marked my 15th year in recruitment, and like many, I was introduced to it in the conventional transactional manner. Need a body? Here you go! Send the cheque! There was no time to build a real partnership with a company because it was on to the next decision maker with a need, and you kept doing that until you felt completely burnt out at the end of the day… Many prefer this approach because it gives them an easy exit if feelings about a search or company change, or it’s looking like your effort is not going to materialize into a placement… Granted, it’s a thrill at times to engage in these scavenger hunt activities to fill a position, racing to beat your competition and collect a fee payout. Many have done quite well under this model… The pivot for me came once I realized the value and importance of time. I was still newly married, and my second child was here. My Wife was the primary caregiver to our kids, and I vowed to take care of them… …something had to change. Personally, working in this way contradicted the very essence of who I am as a human being. I’ll take one meaningful relationship over 5 or 6 open-ended connections with no real value add for either side. I was speed dating my way through the industry. I was having conversations with a lot of people, but hardly establishing anything that was sustainable with repeatable business, and lasting value. I was waiting for that bell to ring or that cheque to clear, and on to the next. What’s interesting is that I tried to convince myself that I wasn’t transactional, yet my fruit declared differently. I operated unethically, not because I was unethical, but because of the pressure I was under to produce. You pounced all over a client request because you never knew if or when the next one would come knocking. The rollercoaster of emotions coupled with financial unpredictability forced me to double click on what I wanted from a career in recruitment, and how I wanted to be remembered. Did I want to be just another guy at a table in a crowded room, or a strategic partner with a permanent seat at the table? There’s a difference. Cue the transformation to what has now become a search boutique predicated on delivering tangible results (not just lip-service) to people. We’re still driven by numbers to remain in business, but we don’t treat people like numbers… If you’re at a similar place professionally, reach out to me directly. I would enjoy hearing your story… For the past 15 years, I’ve facilitated placements within engineering and technology, with a focus of late on improving outcomes for organizations through better leadership… There’s a better way to grow your business… …let’s explore this together.

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99% Of You Are Prompting That Recruiter Wrong

Artificial Intelligence, Leadership, Recruitment /

I learned today that most people don’t know how to properly prompt their AI – 99% to be exact. Essentially, AI is only as productive as the quality of the prompts it receives from the user… Interesting… We dictate to AI the role we’d like it to play, what we’d like done, how we’d like it done, and you can even provide context/background to increase accuracy… When I heard this today, I immediately thought of the recruitment profession. Specifically, the degree of frustration that many are feeling towards recruiters… The bad recruiters should be held accountable! They’re not only leaving a trail of casualties, but they’re compromising the integrity of what we do as recruiters. Perhaps guardrails need to be imposed around the profession to limit the entrance of any and everyone… Unlikely to happen realistically… …but what if those who have been engaged by a recruiter or wish to engage themselves could manipulate the interaction to some degree in the same manner we would with AI? What if there was a way to prompt that recruiter to ensure optimal results? If we can prompt a machine, then certainly we can prompt a human! Of course there are nuances that we’d need to consider, but in theory, what I’m proposing is fundamental… Too many of us take whatever a recruiter says without questioning them or their legitimacy. They request, we provide. They ask, we answer. They share, we accept as the truth. They no-show, we complain. Rinse and repeat. Let’s break down this recruiter prompt theory, and leave your comments below if you agree or disagree with this post… If effectively prompting AI results in desired outcomes and better experiences, and the act of prompting is merely telling the machine what you want from it in order to keep engaging with it, then perhaps my thesis is not entirely senseless… So, how would one prompt a recruiter to improve the chances of a successful outcome, which would increase the odds of usage again in the future? The answer lies in the quality of the communication. Whenever I’m contacted by a job seeker who has recently entered the marketplace, I can quickly glean the caliber of that professional by their initial outreach, which is generally an introduction outlining what they desire from their next opportunity. This usually takes the form of title/seniority, location preferences, headcount responsibilities if a leader, remote/hybrid, and of course, money – i.e., what they desire to earn… All good variables to consider when you’re exploring a career move/change (I can also tell if that message has been sent to 100 different recruiters. Some even forget to bcc:)… The average recruiter will receive this sort of message and do 2 things with it: What if there was a better way to engage that recruiter, increase your chances of being considered for a real opportunity, go through real meetings with their client, actually receive feedback after every interaction, receive a good offer, and get hired? What if the variable that could lead to the above happening more often than not rested in the quality of the prompting? Let’s explore an example of an effective prompt scenario with a recruiter you’ve never worked with: Hi Shawn, My name is John Smith. Your LinkedIn profile indicates that you’re in the recruitment space and have been in the industry for 10 years now. It wasn’t clear from current and past roles the industries you serve, but a quick look at your corporate site disclosed that your company has client’s in the pharmaceutical, nuclear, and manufacturing sectors. I also noticed through some of your recommendations that some senior professionals within engineering have endorsed your work, suggesting that you’re quite connected in my field of expertise. I’m a licensed professional engineer within Ontario, and I’ve spent the last 20 years helping manufacturers within the defence space deliver highly engineered and technologically advanced armoured vehicles to their customers. I was recently featured in the attached article for my work on a new autonomous vehicle, slated to hit the market in Q1 2026. Having completed this project, I am now looking for a new challenge, and I’m selectively reaching out to professionals in your area who can support me on this journey. My last 2 projects were delivered underbudget and earlier than what we quoted to our customer, and I was at the forefront of all design activities. There was a team of 10 people under my coaching, 2 of which went on to receive promotions within the company, and a 3rd being groomed for leadership as we speak. Before we discuss any further, I’d like to know if I represent the type of professional you typically work with and have had success placing into meaningful positions? Secondly, if I am, I’d like to know more about you and your practices and how you typically go to market with someone of my caliber. I’ll only provide a resume after we’ve established this as a mutually beneficial relationship, and you actually have clients with goals that I can help accomplish. I’d also like to express that since I am presently employed, I expect utmost confidentiality. If this makes sense, please reach out via mobile or email, both listed below. Thanks, Shawn. John It’s lengthy, but let’s dissect this… Firstly, you quickly establish credibility with someone you don’t know when your outreach demonstrates that you actually did your research. John visited Shawn’s profile, actually read it, and cross-referenced with the company site for specific details not mentioned on LinkedIn. Secondly, his introduction focused on tangible accomplishments, not a wish list. John provided details into his work, referenced a link to support his claims, and offered good information into how the company and the team benefited from his presence. Lastly, he protected the integrity of his outreach by withholding any further documentation or information, (i.e., resume) until he felt comfortable that Shawn was interested in working with him and could in fact represent his candidacy in the marketplace.

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A Slap On The Wrist (New Anti-Ghosting Legislation)

Ghosting, Inspiration, Leadership, Recruitment /

EMPLOYERS, you can now be fined it you do not provide feedback to a candidate you’ve interviewed within 45 days. This is new legislation as part of a reform to our employment standards in Ontario. This will come into effect January 2026…happy new year! Great news, right!? I wish I could rejoice with everyone in the marketplace… I guess strong-arming an employer to act ethically could be considered a win, but there’s still a lot of work to do… Fines are like placing a band-aid on a muscle ache. We’re simply covering the issue without really addressing the source of the problem… Does a candidate deserve to be informed about the outcome of their interview? Absolutely. Do I believe decision makers & candidates should be held accountable? Absolutely. I wish it were that simple to make ghosting disappear by throwing money at it, but it bothers me that such a fundamental act is not being practiced in the first place. We’ve concluded that financially penalizing the offenders will somehow improve the state of the marketplace and make our economy stronger. Those of us who have had to punish our children without addressing the error and conveying best practices going forward, know that it’s probable for that child to engage in the same actions in the near future. Penalties without outlining clear steps towards rehabilitation are short-lived… We’ve also seen examples of those with enough financial backing to circumvent penalties to protect their own interests. Sadly, this is nothing new. Every decision maker needs to ask themselves the following question: 👉 What is our vision statement for how we’d like to be perceived in our marketplace? A sober answer to this question will eradicate the possibility of ghosting anyone. Your competitive advantage is directly tied to the experience you provide to people, and one bad experience can derail your entire business model. Respecting people should be foundational, not a forced act by way of a penalty. Poor business etiquette has penetrated our leadership ranks. We’ve lost the art as leaders to communicate bad news to people, choosing to hide behind emails or not communicating at all. “Anything you can do, I can do better” has become a theme song for many who take part in the hiring process. Recruiters are ghosting candidates, candidates are ghosting recruiters, decision makers are ghosting recruiters & candidates, and so forth… Proving that I can “out ghost you” has become a thing, leaving casualties along the way and a fractured hiring process that will force our best and brightest to search for greener pastures in neighbouring economies. A poor reputation spreads like a wild fire, and fines are masking the real issue. Treating people well will cost you nothing – this is precisely why GOOD LEADERSHIP matters.

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