July 29, 2025
Beyond the Black Hole: How to Treat Executive Candidates
Last month I had coffee with a senior executive exploring new opportunities. Let's call him David.
"It's brutal out there," he told me. "Not because there aren't opportunities, but because of how companies treat candidates. I've been through three interview processes in the last six months, and in every case the experience was terrible."
David's story isn't unique. I'm hearing similar complaints from accomplished executives across the board. The human element in recruiting has deteriorated dramatically.
Here's what David experienced: Radio silence after interviews. Hiring managers who clearly hadn't read his resume. Promises to "get back to you next week" that stretched into months of silence. When he finally got rejections, they arrived via generic email from HR.
"I started to wonder if these are companies I'd even want to work for," he said. "If this is how they treat candidates, how do they treat employees?"
The Cost of Poor Treatment
David's reaction illustrates why candidate experience matters. When companies treat executive candidates poorly, they pay a steep price:
First, they lose good people. The best candidates have options and quickly eliminate companies that don't treat them professionally. You might think you're being efficient, but you're actually screening out the people you most want to hire.
Second, they damage their reputation. Every candidate you treat poorly tells their network to avoid your company. Poor candidate treatment is a brand killer.
Third, they signal dysfunction. Candidates reasonably assume that interview treatment reflects how the company operates generally. Poor candidate experience suggests poor management and weak processes.
What Executive-Level Treatment Looks Like
Treating executive candidates with appropriate respect isn't complicated, but requires intentionality:
Communicate with purpose and timeliness. Set clear expectations about next steps and timing, then meet them. If something changes, communicate immediately. Silence is not an option.
Come prepared to every interaction. Read the candidate's resume before you meet. Understand their background and come with thoughtful questions. An unprepared interviewer signals the candidate isn't important enough to warrant basic preparation.
Provide respectful closure. When you decide not to move forward, pick up the phone and make a personal call. A two-minute conversation beats a form email every time. Thank them for their time and briefly explain your decision.
Keep candidates informed throughout. Let candidates know where they stand. If you're moving slowly, tell them why and give them a realistic timeline. Candidates can handle the truth; they can't handle being left in the dark.
The Bottom Line
You're competing for talent in a market where the best people have choices. Professional treatment of candidates isn't just the right thing to do—it's a competitive advantage.
The executives you're trying to recruit are evaluating you just as carefully as you're evaluating them. They're asking: Is this the kind of company I want to work for? How you treat them during the interview process goes a long way toward answering that question.
Every interaction with a candidate is an opportunity to demonstrate your company's values and professionalism. Make sure the message you're sending is the one you want them to receive.
