Company lowballed unicorn candidate
The Challenges of Recruiting for a High-Profile Client: A Cautionary Tale
In my first five months as an agency recruiter, I’ve encountered a variety of challenging situations, but one recent experience truly highlighted the complexities involved in working with major clients. I was assigned a high-priority role during my very first week — an urgent vacancy for a well-known, household-name company that is considered a leader in its industry. Despite its stature, collaborating with this client has proven to be a demanding process, fraught with communication hurdles and misaligned expectations.
The Client’s High Expectations and Difficult Hiring Process
This client has been the third hiring team I’ve seen tasked with filling this position — others had given up, passing it along to me. The client maintains a belief that working with their company is everyone’s dream, which in practice has translated into very stringent candidate screening and a reluctance to engage in meaningful dialogue with applicants. They reject numerous highly qualified candidates over minor details without ever speaking with them, and those they are interested in tend to be dragged through a protracted interview cycle that sometimes extends over several months.
One particular challenge arose during a planned three-week company vacation in October. Although I proactively advised the client to commence interview scheduling before their break, their response was dismissive: “We expect candidates to be available when we return.” This inflexibility caused significant delays, leading to multiple candidates dropping out or losing interest. Only after these setbacks did the client recognize the need to accelerate the process.
Presenting an Overqualified Candidate and a Disappointing Offer
Amidst this challenging environment, I managed to present a candidate who was overqualified for the role but interested because of the company’s reputable brand name. She moved smoothly through the interview stages and impressed the team with her presentation and take-home assignment. After nearly two months of progress, she reached the final stage.
However, when it came time for the offer, the client asked me to remind them of her salary expectations — which I provided. Shockingly, she received an offer that was 10% below her requested salary, even though her requested amount fell within the company’s official salary range for the position. This was a blatant lowball that failed to compensate for her experience and the long journey she had undertaken.
Unsurprisingly, the candidate was upset, feeling undervalued, especially given the compromises she had already made in accepting the role. She declined the offer this morning, citing the insufficient compensation as her main reason.
Internal Reflections and Next Steps
As a recruiter, I believe it’s essential to advocate for the candidates and ensure clients understand the importance of fair compensation. I raised my concerns with my manager, emphasizing that the client’s approach — especially after nearly half a year of effort — was unacceptable. I suggested that we should reconsider our partnership with them unless they commit to improved cooperation, communication, and respect for candidate value.
My manager acknowledged my concerns and agreed to explore potential solutions. I also took the initiative to notify the candidate that we would keep searching on her behalf, reinforcing that she deserves better opportunities.
Lessons Learned and Moving Forward
This experience underscores the importance of setting clear boundaries with clients, especially when their processes and expectations threaten to undermine the quality of our work and the candidates’ experience. If a client repeatedly drags out hiring, undervalues candidates, or shows a lack of professionalism, it may be time to reevaluate the relationship.
Recruiting for high-profile companies can bring great rewards, but it also demands vigilance and assertiveness. Ensuring fair treatment of candidates and aligning client expectations with market realities are vital for maintaining integrity and building a trustworthy reputation.
Conclusion
While this story reflects a difficult chapter, it also highlights the resilience required of recruitment professionals. We must stand firm in advocating for candidates and uphold our standards, even when faced with challenging clients. It’s encouraging to know that, ultimately, the candidate found her direction and will continue her search elsewhere — a reminder that honest, transparent communication is key in navigating the complexities of talent acquisition.
Thank you for taking the time to read this reflection. If you’re a fellow recruiter or HR professional facing similar challenges, know that you’re not alone — and your dedication makes a difference.