Startup CEO asks what the company can do when a candidate backs out last minute: 'Really hurts'
"A senior candidate who was supposed to start next week just backed out. We spent significant time, energy, resources hiring him. Even incurred sizeable expenses on his travel stay etc.," wrote Kunal Gupta, the co-founder and CEO of EMotorad.
A recent post made on X by the CEO of a startup throws light on the challenges faced by eager employers who think they've found the ideal candidate only to realise it was a futile exercise. One main reason adding to the employers' woes is when the candidate, once chosen after hours of gruelling interviews and meet-ups, backs out at the last minute for higher pay. While looking for better options for yourself seems understandable, keeping an employer hanging on for days and making them think you're joining their company can sound a tad bit unfair. What do you think?
What did the startup CEO have to say about candidates backing out from offer at the last minute?
A senior candidate who was supposed to start next week just backed out ?
¡ª Kunal Gupta (@kunal_gupta01) September 12, 2024
We spent significant time, energy, resources hiring him. Even incurred sizeable expenses on his travel stay etc.
Waited for him for 2 months, team was in constant touch and was giving him downloads.¡
The Co-founder and CEO of EMotorad, Kunal Gupta recently took to X to share the harrowing time he had first hiring a candidate and then waiting for him to join only to be let down in the end when they joined somewhere else for higher pay. This instance brings into focus the challenges employers also face when hiring the ideal candidate and losing time, effort, money and resources in the process.
Gupta took to X to write: "A senior candidate who was supposed to start next week just backed out. We spent significant time, energy, resources hiring him. Even incurred sizeable expenses on his travel stay etc.,"
He explained how they waited a long time for him to join them, only to realise it was all pointless. "Waited for him for 2 months, team was in constant touch and was giving him downloads."
Things took a turn for the worse when they realised he was looking for higher pay. "Never gave a hint that he¡¯s exploring further. Backed out today for a higher pay. What should you do as a company? Not the 1st time but this one really hurts. Efforts gone but should we atleast recover the expenses company incurred? What would you do?"
How did the internet react?
The post was shared on X on September 12, and has so far raked in 589.3k views, 1,845 likes and comments to match. Take a look:
Hiring for a senior position is one of the most expensive decisions you¡¯ll make as a company. The initial spend on each candidate is nothing, compared to the money you might have spent if he had joined. It¡¯s very likely you dodged a costly bullet and escaped getting stuck with a¡
Be thankful that this happened before joining instead of within 6 months of it
As an industry, notice periods should be brought down to 2 weeks. Helps all parties.
Less time to shop for offers. Less impact when someone doesn¡¯t join.
Move on, it's already a closed chapter.
Build a large business. Hopefully one day he or she will see this as a regret, maybe or maybe not.
In long run this wouldn't matter.
Sir, I kind of understand employer¡¯s point of view¡ arm twisting with an offer letter in other hand is not nice, but I also wonder if and when the company does layoffs, which happen quite a lot, it¡¯s usually like in a snap ¡ so what should the employee do? Not all layoffs are¡
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