Empathy – the Missing Ingredient

Empathy; we hear that word so often lately…

I think it’s interesting that empathy has become a much sought-after attribute in many parts of our lives, especially in the workplace. With technological advances giving way to digital communication, a new normal is in play, requiring managers and recruiters to search for “hard skills” in their candidate pools.

To leverage their business objectives and strengthen workforce teams, employers value individuals who can build and implement platforms and systems that create lean and seamless workflows. Paying a premium for these skills, they go to great lengths to incentivize candidates who are technically astute and innovative. I know this is necessary… but guess what? While we have been busy developing our left-brains on the technology end, our right-brains have gone unattended. Now, our social skills are suffering!

Managers and candidates often lack effective people skills, most critically among them is empathy – a lack of listening, emotional intelligence, and caring about making people feel valued. If the importance of conversational skills seems outdated, I apologize to no one. Interview etiquette, be it in-person or virtual, never goes out of style.

Interviewers describe being frustrated with candidates who are “ghosting them,” “blowing-off” job interviews, and submitting documents that are riddled with errors and inconsistencies. It burdens the workload of already busy recruiters who are trying to parse through the queue of incoming resumes. These types of behaviors signal a lack of interest or skill, and therefore, employers try to avoid hiring a potentially “bad fit” – so they reject them.

Conversely, job candidates report a lack of timely follow-up from managers who promise to call – but never do … its “radio silence” for weeks between interviews, leaving candidates feeling uncertain and undervalued. Were those “mandatory” cover letters ever read by anyone??? Talented candidates are being courted by the competition or being retained through counteroffers. They need to know where they stand in your process… should they wait indefinitely to hear from you?

Let’s face it – it’s a balancing act with many moving parts and contributing factors. The best we can do is respect each other’s time, be mindful of workday challenges, and appreciate how scheduling conflicts and moving calendars can impact one’s availability.

Note to managers and recruiters – please try to show compassion for the candidate who is out of work and understand their desperation to find a job. When you are sitting securely behind your desk, take a moment to appreciate the difference between your world and theirs, and go the extra mile to be kind.
Likewise, candidates – please understand the challenges that a recruiter’s workload creates as they struggle to navigate a fair and cohesive interview process. You are not the only candidate in the queue – there can be hundreds or more. So, please be kind in return by showing patience.

Apologies go a long way with me. They indicate a person’s ability to be insightful and to demonstrate empathy – the missing ingredient. It’s foundational to fostering respect in the workplace, ergo, a more harmonious world.

Thanks for reading and have an amazing day!