A Lesson I Never Forgot

It was early in my career.

I was swamped with work — something important my Director had asked me to complete.

In the middle of that rush, a few candidates had arrived for their interviews.

I kept them waiting.

My Director walked in, looked around, and asked gently,

“Why are the candidates waiting?”

I explained, a little defensively,

“I’m working on the task you gave me… it’ll take me another half an hour or so.”

He nodded, then said something I carry with me to this day.

“Never keep candidates waiting.

It’s our need — we called them here.

It’s our responsibility to honour their time.

Never make them wait — not for the interview, not for the outcome.

Internal work can wait.

A bad candidate experience?

That leaves a scar. They may never come back.”

He wasn’t angry.

Just... clear.

And right.

That day, something shifted in me.

Since then, I’ve followed that lesson to the T.

Today, when I see posts asking candidates to "be patient," "be understanding," or "trust the process," I can't help but remember that moment.

Yes, candidates should be respectful.

But empathy is not a one-way street.

With all the technology we have today, sending a response — even a ‘no’ — isn’t hard.

It’s not about time.

It’s about priorities.

And the truth?

Organizations need candidates

more than candidates need jobs.

Every job seeker is a human being.

Someone anxious about their EMI.

Someone supporting a family.

Someone starting over after a setback.

“Any form of delay is disrespecting the candidate,” my Director had said.

He didn’t mince words.

Behind every HR title is a human.

But the same holds true for every application.

Let’s not forget that.

Comments

You Are Not The Only One

You just stumbled upon a brilliant idea. You have to come to believe its a gem of an idea. You have a strong intuition its going to be game changer. You want to turn it into an enterprise. You are excited, since your long cherished entrepreneurial dream is now sure to see daylight. You start putting things in place in run up to your dream venture. You are fiercely protective of your idea and taking every precaution to not let it out. Somehow you believe, you are the only one ever to think about it and if you do share it with someone else, chances are - they may rob you of the idea. So you are not willing to let your guard down. And therefore are reluctant to share, discuss and deliberate the idea with anyone else. At times, even with some who might help you shape and execute the idea. The anxiety and the insecurity of loosing your baby (that too even before its been thoroughly conceived) holds you back. If this is what you have experienced and this what you still believe. Let m...

Day 9 - The Power of Understanding

The words “I understand” hold immense power. In the TV show Two and a Half Men , Charlie Harper often uses this phrase, sometimes with humorous intent. But beyond the humor, these two simple words—"I understand"—carry a depth and magic that is often overlooked. Understanding is the first step toward empathy. It reflects a willingness to connect with another person's experience, their emotions, and their perspective. Yet, to truly understand, we must pause and reflect on what we mean when we say it. Do we really understand what the other person is going through? Are we merely acknowledging their words, or are we trying to feel what they feel? True understanding isn’t about sympathy or offering solutions. It’s about resonance. Do we truly feel the depth of someone’s anxiety or pain, or are we simply familiar with the emotion? Does understanding require us to have lived through similar circumstances, or is it possible to grasp the weight of another’s experience even...

The Trap of Who vs. The Power of What

In any conversation, debate, or discussion, we often find ourselves fixated on who is speaking rather than on what is being said. The easiest response is to judge the messenger, dismissing their words based on our perception of them—their biases, history, or even our own prejudices. This reflexive focus on 'who' rather than 'what' creates barriers to understanding and blinds us to the essence of the message. The Judgmental Trap When we become obsessed with the speaker rather than their words, we risk falling into a judgmental trap. We start assessing their intent rather than engaging with their argument. We question their credibility, label them based on past interactions, and dismiss their perspective outright. In doing so, we fail to listen. Every speaker, no matter how well-intentioned or knowledgeable, is inherently flawed—just as every argument, no matter how sound, carries its own set of assumptions and imperfections. But if we allow our perception ...

Connecting with thoughts - My thoughts and Me

Search This Blog