Are your recruitment processes damaging your brand?

I had an experience shared with me this week. Having applied for a senior IT role at a major insurance firm a candidate was surprised at the ghosting from such a prestigious international insurance brand. Having applied on the 10/3/2025 they received an immediate email which said, "Your submission will be reviewed by our recruiting staff, and we may reach out to you for more information if we determine that your background meets our staffing needs."

They have heard nothing since. I understand this is typical of the experiences of so many candidates now. What businesses fail to understand is the damage this does to their brand and of course, the hard work of their marketing department.

Take the employer in question above. Their web site has 3 values, one of which is

"Doing the right thing

Acting with integrity in a straightforward, decent way is instinctive. Open and honest with others, we show respect and empathy however challenging the situation. Doing the right thing makes for a fair-minded, rewarding environment and makes work and life better for all"

I actually have no doubt that they actually believe in these values and try and follow them. Such declarations are commonplace in marketing material on corporate websites. And why not. After all, the second value states,

"Striving for better

Good is a start, but we go all-out for better. We actively champion and support each other to be the best we can be. A driven community of individuals relentlessly pushing the needle and creating value. We pride ourselves on always going above and beyond."

For the marketers, they should be concerned. What are their recruitment team doing? It leaves candidates with one of two options.

1) The marketing about their values is nonsense - brand damage impossible to undo.

2) The values are correct, but their recruitment process is excluded from the ethical behaviours - less damaging but still damaging to the brand (one of internal control).

What damage does this do? Actually considerable. Let's say they have 30 roles at a relatively senior level each year. And let's say they get about 300 applicants to each role. That will be 8970 people who are both disappointed not to have won the role but more importantly 8970 people, at a senior level, who will go to Glassdoor, or their new employers with the view that the particular brand is toxic. Small fry, until one considers the risk that those people may be decision makers for large accounts that the brand might like to win business with.

If you think that behaviours cannot damage a brand, then just look at Tesla's stock price.

Tesla brand damage

It's not just corporates. Recruiters suffer the same fate. When you ghost candidates or treat them badly, what reception will you have when you turn up at the candidates' new employer or client and try and sell your services.

Ok, it's not going to make a difference overall to your bottom line, and this is why it continues. The message is clear. Ethical behaviours and values are like dogs, not just for Christmas. If you publish the values to the world, live by them with everything you do. You have no idea who your recruiters may be alienating. Todays rejected senior manager can well be the decision maker at the next big corporate. And they won't like you or want to do business with you.

But, for clarity, it's not about everyone winning the role. That can never be possible, and candidates know that. But it is how you run your process and treat your candidates. Do that well, and the average candidate will walk away from your process, disappointed but impressed with you and your brand. They will have a positive experience and know you are a brand to do business with in the future. Choose the other route and who knows what damage you will do down the line.

Candidates Matter is all about reversing this trend. If you really are an ethical organisation with ethical behaviours at the heart of EVERYTHING you do, then contact us and we can help differentiate you from those who talk the talk but cannot walk the walk.