Something tragic happened a couple weeks ago that reminded me of a lesson I learned years ago.

A senior executive I’d recruited for a new client walked into what should have been an important C-suite-level conversation—one that would leave both sides feeling this could be the start of something great.
And 5 minutes later... my recruit walked right back out.

Not because he wasn’t interested.
But because the company’s process made it painfully clear that respect wasn’t part of the equation.

So he walked out... and I fired them.

Last week, I felt it important to pass this cautionary tale along to many of my clients as a reminder that how we treat candidates says everything about who we are as a company.

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized this story needs to also be passed on to those people on the other side... the talent being recruited.​

Too often, great candidates walk out of interviews wondering why the experience went so badly. 

They take the behavior of a rushed or unprepared interviewer personally…
when in truth, it’s not a reflection of them at all.​

In all my many years of recruiting, I’ve learned this truth:

If they’re late now, they'll disrespect your time later.
If they don’t listen now, they won’t listen when you're on the job.
And if they treat your time as disposable—believe them!

But believe this also... you are not powerless in that room.

You should be evaluating them just as much as they’re evaluating you.
That’s not arrogance — it’s awareness.

Sometimes the most professional thing you can do is thank them for their time
- then fire them as a potential employer. Silently. Gracefully.

That’s exactly what my candidate did.
He stayed polite, stayed calm, and walked away.

Not out of ego.
Out of clarity.

Because interviews go both ways.
They’re not auditions, they’re conversations between equals.​

A good interview process will show a genuine mutual curiosity.
A bad one will feel like there's an imbalance.

And when you sense that imbalance... don't second-guess yourself.
Be grateful.
They just showed you what life at their company would be like.

So smile, shake hands, and move on.
They didn’t reject you. You just dodged a culture that never deserved you.

The best interviews aren’t just about opportunity, they’re about alignment.

Respect isn’t a perk.
It’s a preview.

So next time you’re sitting in that interview chair, remember—
you’re not just hoping they’ll choose you.

You’re also deciding whether you want to choose them.​

If you care about building stronger teams, better interviews, and a more human hiring process, I share deeper lessons each month in my newsletter, Unshakeable Insights.

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