|Ask anything (even anonymously)…
© 2021 Fairygodboss. All rights reserved.
Candidate used work email in recruiting process, deal breaker?
I have a candidate that made it through multiple rounds of interviews and every person who spoke with her absolutely loved this candidate. She has a great personality, driven, and is incredibly intelligent. However, she is a recent graduate and has room to grow / needs to learn the "unspoken rules" of the workforce. For example, she used her current employer's email to send thank you emails and work samples to myself and the team. I chalked this up to her being "green" and this is something she needed to learn. I even had our recruiter reach out to let her know moving forward to not use that email address since it could send the wrong message.
This role is an entry level role for a department that I manage. This wasn't a deal breaker for me since it's an entry level role, we can't expect polished candidates out of the gate. The VP I report in to always wants to screen candidates regardless of the level of the role. Her using her work email was a deal breaker for him. I tried to make the case to defend hiring her and that didn't go over well.
Now I'm in the situation where I have to pass up an incredible candidate for a lapse in judgement (we've also been hiring for this role for 3 months). Any suggestions on how to move forward? Is it worth making the case even further to my VP? Or is this a definite no-no in your eyes?
44 Comments
Kate McDonald
Founder + CEO of Broadreach Career
419
11/11/20 at 3:40PM UTC
This is a tough situation to be in. I think it really depends on the relationship you have with the VP whether or not to make a case.
Regardless of how you have to proceed, I would encourage you to let her know the issue about the email. If she is young, she might not realize that's a "no-no".
Perhaps share this concern with her and see how she responds. If she follows up with an email from her personal account, that might be a selling point for your VP to say she received feedback and made the adjustment.
Let us know how it goes!
28
Reply
Barb HansenAsk me anything about Startups
3.34k
11/11/20 at 3:43PM UTC
I would not consider someone using their current work email in their job interview process a deal-breaker. I don't even know if I would have noticed that the person used their work email address.
Of course, it's not great form to use your work email address when communicating for a new job but is it a deal-breaker?
Since it appears to be a deal-breaker for your VP, then there's not a lot you can do.
My motto when hiring people is "give grace for minor infractions" (like spell-check errors) because once hired we all get passes on simple minor infractions.
29
Reply
Courtney Davenport
29
11/11/20 at 4:08PM UTC
Your relationship with the VP you report to is most important. I agree with the comment above: if you have a very open relationship with this VP and feel you could state your case without further consequences, then do so in a respectful way. Highlight her strengths and why she's an excellent fit for the role. Hopefully, your VP is a good leader and is open to challenges to his or her thinking.
If your relationship is not that strong, I would move on to another candidate and keep the candidates information on file for future opportunities.
10
Reply
Kristin Jacobsen
18
11/11/20 at 4:24PM UTC
So tough to have a good candidate your manager won't accept! But if she sent work samples from her current work email, I'd be concerned lest she violated confidentiality guidelines.
6
Reply
Peg Glover
641
11/11/20 at 5:13PM UTC
I think all of the answers above are very valid. However, you run a couple of risks. If the VP relents and you bring the candidate in how will she be treated? Then the tricky one is you don't know how she will perform and if she does not, this could cause the VP to question your judgement.
11
Reply
Brooke Davidson HoareauTransforming UX for exceptional results
82
11/11/20 at 5:14PM UTC
I feel like this depends. If you’ve already made your case to your VP and have no new arguments or compelling information that could change their mind then the conversation probably won’t go anywhere.
This, to me seems like a ridiculous reason to not hire someone. Unless this faux pas was somehow an indicator of a breach in company values or ethics, or clearly indicated the person was not a fit for the job, I would not consider it a deal breaker.
However arguing a point that you can’t win without any additional information isn’t worth it either.
You will find someone eventually for sure but it is a shame to miss out on someone because of something so trivial.
9
Reply
Colleen McAuliffe Stroobant
15
11/11/20 at 5:35PM UTC
Can you conduct a reference from a former manager she reported to who may be able to offer insight about her business maturity, and is this a common theme with the candidate, or a mistake that was out of the ordinary ?
Present the reference when presenting your back up candidate and see if that may help from a 3rd party testimonial
4
Reply
SophieG
167
11/12/20 at 1:34PM UTC
What a strange rule and so many assumptions. Perhaps she has the blessing of her current boss / company to look for a new role because they know they cannot offer her the right prospects? Perhaps is was a fleeting mistake? It says more about your culture that someone can be bashed so hard for one simple mistake than it says about her naïveté and greenness.
Yes I would fight the VP to the death on this one. If you haven;t already lost a good candidate.
23
2 Replies
Anonymous
11/12/20 at 1:55PM UTC
I agree with this comment 100%. My employer allows - and encourages - use of office technology when job searching. Granted, we are in higher ed, but seriously? If your company doesn't allow the private use of company associated communication methods it will be something you would need to make sure she understands. Too bad if you have lose her for both her and the company.
3
Reply
KrystinRecruiting Leader & Résumé Writer in Seattle
141
11/12/20 at 3:22PM UTC
I agree! This is not something I would hold against a candidate!
2
Reply
Jenna
13
11/12/20 at 1:44PM UTC
Perhaps the VP is saying to you “Don’t hire her” not because of the use of her work email, but because of another reason entirely that the VP would rather not say out loud.
Like a personality clash (VP just doesn’t like her), or perhaps the VP has someone else in mind for the role and is waiting on them, or has a *very* specific type of person they’d like to give the role to.
It just seems like such a trivial reason to reject someone after 3 months of searching, that it leads me to believe there’s probably something else at work here.
But whatever the reason is, since you’ve already tried to change the mind of the VP and it didn’t go well - you’re better off dropping it. For a multitude of reasons.
2
Reply
Anonymous
11/12/20 at 1:47PM UTC
Has your VP met the candidate? If not, maybe compromise and have the VP meet the candidate and if after meeting the candidate, s/he still thinks the work email is a deal breaker then move on.
4
Reply
Nancy CTalent Partner | Collaborator | DEI Champion
191
11/12/20 at 1:57PM UTC
The candidate using her work email address isn’t your or your VP’s responsibility. If she’s violating a policy within her current organization, that’s between her and them. It’s an easy lesson that can be taught if she joins your team, and there are plenty of reasons why a candidate might use their work email. I think rejecting anyone for that reason is absurd, and it sounds like a cover for another reason, potentially bias-driven.
Additionally, a larger flag I see is the fact that the VP won’t let you hire an entry level role without his explicit oversight and blessing. It sounds like a trust or control issue on his part. Has he even considered anyone else’s feedback? When leaders make quick decisions like you’ve outlined here, women and other underrepresented people are consistently held back in their careers, and while this scenario seems micro, they eventually build up.
20
3 Replies
JYJ
1.33k
11/12/20 at 2:08PM UTC
YES to everything you said!
4
Reply
ShawnetteCEO/DV Advocate/Public Speaker
89
11/12/20 at 2:36PM UTC
I have mixed feelings about this but agree with Nancy that it can be remedied once on your team. Yes, she is less experienced; however, was she job hunting from the office? (virtual or in the building). I too wondered what VP needs to be that granular that they are involved in an entry level role candidate. In the end, if you see potential and they have all of the qualities needed to do the job, do what you can to present to the VP the case as to why she needs to be hired.
2
Reply
Mary BrodieI help companies build customer relationships
155
11/13/20 at 2:42PM UTC
Spot on here! A flag to me was an entry-level job open for 3 months. Seriously? Are you looking for a team member or the perfect person who doesn't exist? I'd grab HR and talk to them about this and have them talk to the VP. There may be something else going on with this VP in general about this person, this job, or just their management "style." Recently on a job search, I interviewed for jobs that were "hard to fill," and in one case, was discounted because I couldn't reformat my resume as they wanted (I resubmitted 4-5 times and it was never right). The HR person apologized for the nonsense because what that person was really saying was code for "we don't want to give a woman a chance for this job." I pulled out of the process. Heck, one VP interviewer told me that he thinks I lied on my resume. I let it go, but wrapped up the interview right there and walked out. And I was told to reapply for another job under a different VP. There's a lot of nonsense happening out there right now that is subtle discrimination by senior managers who get away with it because they can and do. Signals are definitely things like this - can't fill a straightforward position for months/years, won't hire a great candidate except for some small flaws (there's always an excuse), teams are fairly homogenous, VP/leader feels the need to outshine the team. Something to consider....
2
1 Reply
Nikki Koon
39
11/13/20 at 7:25PM UTC
I had to check if you and I were in similar industries! I am in software development, and once applied for a job where someone actually mentioned in the interview that I was only being brought in because they were told they had to interview a woman. They attempted to put me through ridiculous hoops, such as multiple take home "coding tests."
In the end, I told them I felt they had enough information to make a decision about me. I'm sure it surprises no one that I wasn't offered the job.
Reply
Anne BarnwellResumes that get results
771
11/12/20 at 2:09PM UTC
As a resume writer, you would not believe how many conversations I have with clients about the email address they use. These mistakes are not just made by less tenured employees.
A number of assumptions to make but here are my big takeaways:
--If you can influence the decision with the VP, then do so if you feel this candidate is worth it. In this time of working from home, the lines between home and work are blurred and my guess is that the error could have come from that.
--Regardless of whether you hire the candidate or not, do have a conversation and let them know how serious this was in the decision process. This is important feedback.
Good luck!
6
Reply
Maryann AugustaConsultant
86
11/12/20 at 2:17PM UTC
I would not hire a candidate who used a present work email to apply or follow up with another job offer or interview. Not only is it very unprofessional, but it raises the question of whether or not this was done during working hours. I don’t think I even know of a place of employment that allows personal email from a work address and many have trackers on this to prevent it.
As far as your supervisor is concerned, I’d defer to his judgement. Why put your professional reputation at risk for a candidate you know very little about? The right person will come along.
7
2 Replies
SophieG
167
11/12/20 at 4:15PM UTC
I could list a load of companies that would allow it. I don't understand how you consider it unprofessional if someone is being encouraged to look for another job for example?! Please illuminate me!
1
1 Reply
Maryann AugustaConsultant
86
11/12/20 at 5:23PM UTC
I think applying for new positions with your current work email address says a lot about the candidate and unfortunately it’s not all good. I don’t care whether you’re under the impression that it’s OK with your current supervisor or employer because the prospective employer doesn’t know this. What does it say about the candidate? It says I’m applying for your job on my current employer’s time. Most likely if I’m in this position again and I work for you I’ll probably do the same to you because I think I have a right to. This may indicate your view of what you consider right and wrong. Many would consider this theft of services and you could be fired for it. Your job search should be confidential and when you use your work email address it no longer is. Your work email is not private. Your present employer can trace you at any time. If they see it, what does it say about you? If your current employer does not know your job hunting you don’t want to blindside her/him. I encourage everyone applying for positions to set up a new email account with your own full name. This email is dedicated to job applications. This way it not only keeps everything in one file for easy access, but looks more professional than using another companies email. I think it's always best to hold ourselves to our integrity and a higher standard.
5
1 Reply
Anonymous
11/13/20 at 4:27AM UTC
You’re choosing to ignore the part about receiving prior approval. I’ve had recruiters reach out for opportunities via work emails so what’s considered ‘professional’ is in the eye of the beholder. And since we’re being honest, sometimes leaders at a VP level lose touch with the rat race and apply a heavy handed bias like youthful ignorance to slice through the selection process. The influx of candidates because of COVID has removed the much needed ‘grace’ from the hiring process.
1 Reply
Anonymous
11/13/20 at 2:22PM UTC
Maryann I tend to agree with you. It is simple, easy and free to get a basic email address from hundreds of companies these days. It would have taken her 5 minutes to sign up for a google email address. Even if she was on company time, she could have opened her browser and done this. Its a simple, professional standard that is basic enough to follow.
1
Reply
Anonymous
11/12/20 at 2:41PM UTC
Sorry, young candidates need to have their feet held to the fire. Otherwise, they lower the standards.
Anybody (someone who is totally green) should know not to use a current work email when applying for a new position with another organization. If they don’t know about such a basic boundary, what other boundaries might they break?
7
Reply
Kristen Rock Star Administrator
56
11/12/20 at 2:42PM UTC
It's a hard lesson to learn, but I had a reverse situation when I was an entry level employee. This was before email, so I used my companies fax machine to send a resume to a potential new job. Left the confirmation page on the fax... Boss found it.... It was not a pretty scene. It's very clear to me now that ethically and professionally I was in the wrong. It was even put to me that I "stole time" from my company. However, back then, I was clueless about such things.
4
Reply
Aparajita (AJ) JeediguntaMaking the Invisible Visible for A Better Life
30
11/12/20 at 2:44PM UTC
I see 2 separate issues here:
1.) with this particular candidate, and,
2.) with your VP’s need to screen all processes across all levels
If you choose to address these issues, your relationship and trust with your VP is the key.
Regarding this candidate, is this person the only viable candidate that you’ve found? What made them so compelling to you outside of the email address issue that you wanted to defend this case? Was it about the candidate or was it the work you put in and the rapport you built with them? I absolutely don’t think you need to “defend” the candidate; you don’t know them personally. However, if this candidate is truly the right fit for the role, then laying out a cost-benefit analysis of the hours and $ spent on the recruitment efforts for this candidate, costs of hiring and training her to your methods, versus costs of continuing to seek candidates (who may or may not reach the same standards as this one) might be wise. Consider the candidate’s strengths and appeal in this and explicitly state the benefits and risks. Do it for yourself first, before you take it to the VP if you decide to pursue the matter.
Regardless of how this pans out, I would encourage you and your team (including your VP) to have such etiquette norms, and any visible or invisible dealbreakers explicitly stated in your recruitment and hiring processes. Not doing so is neither fair to you nor to the candidates.
2.) the VP’s protocols of screening. Since you have multiple rounds of interviews, I would encourage you to ask the VP to include themselves in the last round, at least for 10-15 minutes so they can make better informed decisions that don’t undo your work. While I understand that the VP wants to screen all candidates personally (I truly get it; I would want to as well so I know who we’re bringing in and how they can be developed for growth), if they get the final say in the matter, then they need to be a little bit more involved than relying on just reports to build mutual trust and respect for the work involved. Conversely, if they do trust you and your decision completely, then they need to compromise.
Hope this helps!
Reply
Anonymous
11/12/20 at 2:46PM UTC
Deal breaker...and here's why. First, everyone knows, even high schoolers, that you don't use your school email or current work email to correspond with potential new employers. Second, this person probably is a recruiter themselves and it testing her competitors waters. Third, you stated you already spoke to this candidate about not using that email; yet, the candidate continues to do so. Did it ever occur to you that this person really doesn't want to work and is hoping to get fired by the current employer so they can collect unemployment? There are people out there that do that sort of thing, by the way. I could go on with other red flags, but your boss said "No." is what he basically said as he says it as a red flag that, for whatever reason, you are failing to see. Go with your boss' instinct and file this person into "file 13" because the red flags are there. This person knows what they are doing.
On another note, the fact your supervisor is watching over minor decisions of entry level sends another red flag...to you. There is evidently a trust issue here. Has there been a high turnover rate? Are new candidates not working out? Are these candidates all entry level and people you used to hire? Is the supervisor now overseeing this area because upper management has concerns about the abilities of HR to bring in qualifying candidates or concerns about high turnover? Just something to think about....
4
Reply
Anonymous
11/12/20 at 3:43PM UTC
Since she has just graduated, and applying for entry level jobs, perhaps she had permission from her current employer? I would ask her if there was a specific reason she used the work email, her answer may surprise you and serve as her defense. Last but not least, I would present her with the situation and see if she has a proposal for resolve. If she can be given the opportunity to make an appeal with your boss, she may be able to win him over. My gut feeling is he may be a jerk, and she may be better off somewhere else.
1
Reply
Aly
44
11/12/20 at 3:47PM UTC
Would you want them using your company email and time look for another job down the road? If they do not see a problem with this, what other things in the workplace might they think are acceptable and will they adhere if you ask them not to make personal copies on the copy machine for instance? I once worked with a guy from Haiti who thought it was acceptable to use the company phone in the break room to call his family in Haiti on the company’s dime to the time of hundreds of dollars for an entry level employee. Different people have different ideas of what is acceptable. If her company was closing and knew she was seeking another job, that’s perhaps the exception to using work resources for personal reasons and especially to seek other employment.
4
Reply
BethB
54
11/12/20 at 3:56PM UTC
We once had a young candidate park in our parking lot. The lot is quite small with assigned spots for managers. The candidate not only parked in the lot, she parked in the owner’s spot. The candidate was our top choice and the owner refused to hire her. It wasn’t worth arguing because it is really hard to start a new job on the s&$t list.
4
Reply
Anonymous
11/12/20 at 4:02PM UTC
If it is a dealbreaker for your VP, move on. You can’t impact your current work relationship for someone whose work and personality you really haven’t seen.
2
Reply
Nancy CTalent Partner | Collaborator | DEI Champion
191
11/12/20 at 4:09PM UTC
Why not teach someone who is inexperienced instead of writing them off completely? What if they haven't had access to mentors or teachers who took the time to help them realize what others think is "right" in a job search? What if this candidate doesn't have a personal computer outside of work? Sure, she could create a personal email and access it from her work computer, but how many of us are behind on personal email because we spend so much time in our work email? I know I sure am!
I really appreciate the conversation this has prompted, and I'm quite surprised at how many people are so quick to write someone off for one very small mistake. If we write off everyone for the smallest mishaps, how can we learn, innovate, and provide opportunities to grow in our careers and help others do the same?
2
1 Reply
Anonymous
11/13/20 at 2:27PM UTC
I think it comes down to a larger perspective here. From the VP's level, he has to perhaps think about this situation from a different perspective (this candidate not being his direct report). Yes, its a small mistake, but it VERY easily could have been avoided. This is something taught in many high school and college courses and is not time consuming. From the VP standpoint he may need to be concerned with
1. Not investing company dollars into someone he is not confident with.
2. If a situation occurred later, he would now be faced with the facts that there were red flags
3. There could be outside circumstances that are assisting his decision
At the end of the day, its not clear cut and dry. No, we can't write off someone for one small mistake BUT....we all do every day and this message board would not be around otherwise. There are hundreds of articles that focus on "dress to impress", "how to make the best first impression", "how to interview"....These are all things we listen to ourselves because we know that you only get one chance to make a first impression. She made a mistake, she will learn from it...as we all have
1
Reply
Kristina CabezasPM Mom Looking to Make an Impact
20
11/12/20 at 4:29PM UTC
I would totally fight some more for her - in a respectful way, of course. Especially since you've been looking for 3 months already AND the candidate has successfully made it through all of the other rounds.
I agree with the others that it's heavily dependent upon your relationship with the VP and how comfortable you feel approaching him again, but one more try shouldn't hurt.
Or, perhaps the others that have interviewed the candidate could appeal to the VP via email so that way it isn't just coming from you?
Reply
Jennifer A
869
11/12/20 at 5:39PM UTC
Several posters have commented that using a work email is something that folks should know not to do. I would like to add a lens to this - Not everyone does know this. Having worked with companies from 'family owned' to larger international organizations, what I think is a 'standard' and what a new entry level employee thinks is 'standard' based on their life experience are not always the same thing. Please keep in mind that not everyone is 'formally trained' and many may not have had previous experiences that 'taught' them the unmentioned rules of business. Two college grads may be from two different areas. Consider that the middle class kid from the burbs may have had parents who could educate them and another kid might be from a different socio-economic situation where these rules were 'unknown' and therefore not taught. I remember my parents cautioning me against getting a tattoo saying it would hurt my chances for that first corporate job and now my daughter has a huge tattoo that she sees as art and isn't hurting her at all. Our lenses shape what we see and what we perceive so it's important that we look at that.
With regards to the whether to push or not. I would say take a very logical approach. Consider your corporate capital. I like the idea of approaching the VP to enquire why this is a big deal and if you have the capital fighting for the employee. I can also respect that should you do so, your new employee might be starting out from a underdog position and that isn't a good place to be. May I suggest that should you not pursue this candidate, that you reach out to her and develop a mentor type relationship? If you can't get her the job and you really thinks she is a potentially great employee, help her reach her potential.
2
1 Reply
Nancy CTalent Partner | Collaborator | DEI Champion
191
11/12/20 at 5:43PM UTC
Well said!!
1
Reply
Erika MillenAccurate, insightful indexing.
13
11/12/20 at 6:11PM UTC
I'm guessing the VP's objection is that the candidate might have been job hunting on company time, and he doesn't want to bring her on board if she would then do the same at your company. That's a fair objection, although so much depends on the circumstances. In my last position, my employer announced mass (4,000+) layoffs and made plans to shutter the division where I worked. Our office was given one month's notice, and during that time, our employer arranged for outsourcing specialists to come in and meet with us on company time to discuss resume writing, networking, interviewing, and so on. My boss even brought in a photographer for anyone who needed a headshot. In our case, most of our work had been offshored when the company announced the closure, so we were actively encouraged to use the remaining time to find other positions.
2
Reply
Rebecca Lee VCredentialing Specialist
2.11k
11/12/20 at 6:21PM UTC
To him it might be a lack of loyalty. If she is willing to look for work while at work at her current job what will stop her from doing with you. Also, depending on the industry this could be a major security violation.
3
Reply
Heather MorrisonMarketing & Communicaitons Manager
118
11/12/20 at 6:42PM UTC
I'm going to take a page from Liz Ryan's playbook and remind hiring managers that they will never find the perfect candidate if they look for flaws in every applicant. If she's a good fit for the role, but also seems unxperienced, then don't look at it as a reason not to hire her, but as a reason to bring her on and mentor her.
This is the same for everything within a posting/position and somethign that irritates me to no end. That if a person isn't using the right keywords to get past the ATS or the hiring manager gets hung up over the candidate falling just a tiny bit short of meeting ALL of the posting requirements, they pass them over instead of looking at what skills they can bring to the table and how, if hired, that person can be mentored into being a really great employee not only in that role, but elswhere in the company.
Lastly, as I read in the comments, if a person is actively job hunting on company time perhaps you, as an employer shoud be asking themselves why that person is job hunting in the first place. It might not be the employee, but something with the company they work for. Just some food for thoguht.
5
Reply
Natalia StajudaTalent Attraction Specialist
22
11/13/20 at 11:45AM UTC
I would push the VP to reconsider. It is not a deal breaker, especially if you are looking for a person for this position for such a long time. Let's also think about it from perspective of candidate's experience. Is it enough of a justification to remove her from the process?
Personally I would not even focus on which email the candidate uses, as long as this person is a fit for my position.
Perhaps outlining the risks of not hiring this candidate would also help your case? For example money spent for continuoes recruitment for this position, time and resources wasted, and impact on the business (if there is any), if you keep this position not filled for longer time.
Reply
Anonymous
11/13/20 at 2:30PM UTC
Total deal breaker. Sorry but not sorry. It takes 10 minutes to set up a free email account from any browser, phone, cafe etc. Its those extra 10 minutes that set you apart in EVERYTHING in life. Its a lesson well learned early on in her career...we all have to learn lessons along the way.
There is really no excuse. Even if your current company allows job searching during company time, you do NOT do it from the company email, especially when creating your own email address is free and readily available. I just personally find no acceptable excuse for this.
2
Reply
Sara MyersMidwest Professor and Research Administrator
129
11/13/20 at 2:45PM UTC
I would just like to add that in academia most institutions have a "reasonable use" policy with faculty and employee email use. I agree if using work email is a violation of that company's policy, you might want to really think about how this person will follow your own company's policy. However if the company allows reasonable use, I really do not think it is an issue.
Reply
Terrie Stearns McWhorter
222
11/13/20 at 3:40PM UTC
Wow...I am a little worried that your boss doesn't remember what it is like to be new to a company. I would push to get that employee in and mold her and shape her and groom her to grow!!! Me, being me, would go back to my supervisor and say, Can we take a moment to revisit our discussion about Sue Smith? I am losing sleep over this and would really like to talk about it. That right there should show your boss that you are invested. If she works out and is acceptable to coaching GREAT, if not you can tell the boss he was right...Best of luck
Reply
Looking for a new job?
Our employer partners are actively recruiting women! Update your profile today.
The Fairygodboss Feed
We're a community of women sharing advice and asking questions
Employer Reviews
CSX Corporation
If you are going to work in logistics, you need to have a...
Cornerstone OnDemand
Whether you have little ones at home, maybe starting out on...
Spectrum
Super fabulous and extraordinary, and empowering. Lot's of...
Lloyd, Gray, Whitehead & Monroe, P.C.
Your work experience will largely depend on who your...
Chipotle
This company truly cares more about talent then Gender....