There’s no sugarcoating it: the job market is challenging right now. Openings are fewer, competition is fierce, and hiring cycles are slower. We see it from both sides—candidates waiting for feedback and clients being more selective than ever. But amid the stress and uncertainty, there’s a lesson worth repeating:
Stay gracious. Follow through. Keep the conversation going.
We say that not as a platitude, but from lived experience.
Our current Director of Contractor Care, one of the best hires we’ve made, was initially contacted about a role that, frankly, didn’t align with her skills or experience. She could’ve ignored the outreach or replied dismissively (and who would’ve blamed her?). Instead, she responded thoughtfully. That led to a conversation. That conversation led to a realization: we had a different, more strategic need, and she was the perfect fit. Thanks @whitney!
That wouldn’t have happened without her grace, openness, and willingness to engage, even when the original message missed the mark.
Contrast that with a message we received in response to a different outreach:
“Train your staff better. Reaching out to experienced engineers for a level I and II roles is f***ing insulting.”
We get it. No one wants to feel undervalued. Titles and roles matter. But in this market, where pivots and serendipity often shape careers more than perfect-fit job descriptions, reacting with hostility can close doors that might have led somewhere better.
To candidates: every exchange is an opportunity, not just to land a job, but to build a connection, learn something new, or be remembered for the right reasons for roles in the future. You deserve to be respected, but also remember that how you respond says as much about your professionalism as any resume ever could.
To recruiters (ourselves included): let’s keep getting better at outreach, better at listening, and better at connecting people to the right opportunities, maybe not always on the first try, but eventually.
In a market like this, grace isn’t just nice, it’s strategic.
