A recruiter from a well-established recruitment agency verbally abused me. Is it safe for me to make a complaint?
A recruiter from an established recruitment agency told me not to discuss how much I expected to pay, even if their client asked me during an upcoming interview. In my nervousness, I forgot his advice and answered the question the recruiter’s client asked me.
I knew the job market was dead at the time, so I quoted a range at the lower end to make myself more marketable. The next day the recruiter called me angrily and yelled at me for ignoring her advice and making myself look so cheap, which made her agency look like a bunch of money grabbers. Is there an industry or regulatory body I can report it to and if so, will I be blacklisted by its agency?
I can see how you were feeling nervous, flustered, and letting the recruiter’s advice slip through your mind during this interview. The job market is extremely competitive, and your anxiety would be even greater because the interview was held at a time of year when job opportunities are fewer.
While I don’t recommend job seekers lower their salary expectations to make them a more attractive candidate, I understand why you would employ this tactic in the heat of the moment.
At the same time, I can see how disappointed the recruiter must have been when he found out what happened. I can also imagine that they themselves are under pressure for many reasons and are more nervous than usual. None of this excuses the explosive phone calls they made to you.
A central part of any recruiter’s job is talking to people. They do this every day. You would think then that they would have a stronger understanding than most of the many variables and vagaries of human communication, especially in situations where one party has much more power than the other.
Whichever option you choose, I hope this part didn’t damage your confidence too much.
But no, this recruiter’s words were not based on years of experience working with people of different backgrounds, strengths, weaknesses, tendencies, and ways of interacting. Instead, they were shaped by pure selfishness – “you didn’t do what was right by me!”
A good recruiter would put their surprise aside and try to understand why you’re seemingly ignoring their advice. A good recruiter will also understand that pressure affects us all at some point. If they had listened, they would have realized that what you did was not a deliberate defiance, but a small mistake made under difficult circumstances.
Yes, their reputation is important, but any remotely reasonable client will understand that a small mistake made by a stressed candidate is not a reflection of the recruiter’s opportunism.
Of course, a company’s reputation is affected more by its representatives yelling and bragging at individuals than by three seconds in an interview they weren’t even a part of.
You asked if you could be blacklisted if you complain. I’m wondering if you have to do the blacklisting yourself? And I only say this partly jokingly.
I realize how idealistic it may seem to put limits on a major recruitment agency in a job market that gets tougher with each passing week. However, if this is in any way practical, my advice would be to report this person, assuming you will never use their services again.
To whom should you make your complaint? This is not a completely simple thing.
The Recruitment, Consultancy and Staffing Association (RCSA) is the peak body for the recruitment industry in Australia and New Zealand. They have a code of professional conduct that binds all members and professional conduct complaint response guidelines for complaints.
But “all members” is the key word here. RCSA has no authority if the company that employs the person yelling at you is not a member.
If you find that they are not members of the RCSA, another option is to contact the recruitment agency’s HR team. They should also have a code of conduct and be aware of their obligations to provide an environment free from abuse and harassment.
It’s worth bearing in mind that if this person yelled at you, they may have yelled at others as well, and if the HR team sees a pattern of behavior they may be more likely to take action.
Jonathan Rivett is a writer living in Melbourne. He’s been writing about workplace culture and careers for more than a decade.
