The Real Reason Recruiters Ask Why You’re No Longer Interested in a Job

It’s not because we’re nosey or trying to change your mind.

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Well, it happened again. After talking to a strong candidate for a position I’m helping a client recruit for, I was excited to let her know that she was selected to move forward to the next round of the interview process.

Until this point, the candidate had been super responsive, and the job seemed like it was a perfect match for what she was looking to do next. So when the day passed without a positive response to my interview invitation, warning bells sounded in my mind.

Sure enough, the following day, I woke up to the email that, if I’m being honest, I already knew was coming:

Thank you for this opportunity and your time. Unfortunately, at this time, I would like to withdraw my application for this position.

Well, shoot.

I’ve been here before. These days and in this job market, candidates dropping out of consideration for seemingly no reason has become more of the norm than the exception.

And so I replied how I always do in situations like these:

I appreciate you letting me know! Would you be willing to share any specifics around why you’ve decided not to pursue the role? It’s always helpful to understand where we’re misaligned.

One day passed, and then another with nothing but crickets. I never heard from her again.

How to Write a Job Posting (That Candidates Will Actually Apply To)

Have you ever wondered why Recruiters circle back to ask you why you’re dropping out of consideration for a position?

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not because we’re nosey. It’s also not because we can’t mind our own business, or even that we’re looking to try to change your mind.

We ask because we’re looking for patterns and because identifying those patterns helps us influence change at the organization we’re hiring for.