After searching for the idea job, you finally land that all important job interview.
As this is the job you really want, you put extra effort into the interview preparation. You:
- Research the company, focusing on the company culture, ethics, and business objectives.
- Review the job criteria, matching your skillset and experience to the job role, creating job-relevant examples.
- Even go as far as researching the interview panel on social media to check commonality to help build rapport at the interview start.
All-in-all you are ready for to face the recruitment process.
On the day of the interview, the interview goes better than expected. The interviewer ends by saying they will be in touch soon. You walk away confident that the job is yours.
But, a couple of days go by, and nothing. You send a post-interveiw email. The employer responds by explaining that they are working with HR and that you should hear back soon. Then a week, two weeks….nothing.
5-6 weeks later still not a peep.
What has happened?
Have you ever been ‘breadcrumbed’ after a job interview?
Have you experienced something similar yourself?
An employer who seemed keener than mustard to hire you, suddenly goes cold.
If so, you may have been interview breadcrumbed!!
What is ‘breadcrumbing’ in recruitment?
Breadcrumbing is a new recruitment trick to help the employer hire the best candidate.
When an employer or recruitment agency intentionally leads an applicant on, often by sending them ‘keep warm’ emails and telephone calls without actually offering the candidate the job role, this is dubbed ‘breadcrumbing’.
Why would do employers lead applicants on?
The goal of the job interview is to hire a candidate that will add real value to the organisation.
With a global job market and the rise in positions across all sectors, the number of applicants applying for each advertised role is high. This leads to high skilled interviewees applying for the vacancies.
Alongside this, highly skilled professionals are in demand.
The problem for many businesses is that the competition will often pull the rug from under feet by snatching the suitable applicant from in front of them.
In short, all employers want to hire the best, but the best applicants may receive multiple job offers.
To hedge their bets, employers will hold a second applicant in reserve.
Stringing Applicants Along
Recruitment agencies and employers are using the breadcrumbing technique during recruitment process.
The employer waiting to see if their first choice will accept the job offer will use ‘keep warm’ communications to keep the second and third choice applicants interested.
Even more deceitful, is when an employer breadcrumbs their first choice.
First choice breadcrumbing happens when the employer believes a more suitable applicant is out there. Instead of offering the job to their first choice, they string the career professional along hoping that another even more skilled candidate will apply for the job position.
How do you if you have been breadcrumbed?
- You have been waiting for an official job offer for a few days/weeks following what you believed was a successful interview.
- The hiring manager becomes cold after previously sending you lots of communication
- Communication vs vague and lacks specific details
What to do when you believe you have been breadcrumbed?
If you have been breadcrumbed or believe you have, you need to take action.
First, you need to decide do you want to work for a company that would employ the breadcrumb tactic?
Secondly, if you still want to secure the job role, is to call the employer out.
The best way to call out the employer is to contact the hiring manager and ask if they are any closer to choosing a start date? Then explain, ‘because you have been offered (or seen) another role.’
This interview psychology trick can help increase desire in you leading to an actual job offer.
