Here is a cautionary tale for us all…and a reminder that talking on your phone, on the bus, can annoy more people than you imagine. Recently we met with a candidate who works in quite a niche market. This is fine, because we happen to do a lot of recruitment in this market and have strong relationships with a range of high profile businesses in the industry. With her permission, we forwarded her resume to one particular hiring manager in consideration for a current vacancy. Now here is where the world gets small and squirmy…..

The next day we receive a phone call from said hiring manager, who begins the conversation with a “I have a funny story for you..” It turns out that on the bus to work that morning, there was a woman sitting in front of this hiring manager speaking loudly on her mobile.

Her voice is carrying because, well everybody else is sitting quietly playing Clash of Clans on their smart phones (with the odd one speed reading a Game of Thrones in a desperate attempt to work out who Jon Snow’s mother really is). She is happily chatting away, telling her phone pal how much she hates working for [current employer] and how her resume has been sent to [list of companies, including the name of the hiring manager (who is sitting behind her on the bus!). Oh dear. Can you see where this is going? Well, for those who cannot see the train coming down this tunnel…the hiring manager was less than impressed with how the candidate was bad mouthing her current employer in public (as well as name dropping them into the conversation).

The hiring manager decided that her attitude and lack of discretion did not meet the standards they expect from their employees. They chose not to proceed with her application. I don’t need to spell out the lesson from this situation do I? It should be pretty clear…