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A CEO calls me this morning. They have a position remaining vacant for 9 months until now.

"We have worked with another executive search firm - our preferred and usual supplier - for this very strategic recruitment, but with no result. "

I am a bit surprised "Well, I am sure that they are sound professionals, then. There must be something else, you should discuss it with your partner of choice first".

The CEO "We did, and we changed the profile, and the package. The thing is that they absolutely wanted us to hire a professional we already know and worked with as a consultant. This is a super consultant but we did not offer the job because of a lack of personality fit. Besides, all other candidates were less qualified, and too expensive".

I ask for the level of the role, and for the package. I instantely get an e-mail with the job description, and the info. I ask about the context, I quickly check with my secret database. It all looks ok.
"We have been referred to you by a team member. We really need help but we cannot pay for another retainer. We have indeed already paid 60% to our usual partner".

I smile "You know, I am not cheap, but I work on success".

The CEO "OK, but how do you guarantee quality? We have had bad experience with firms working on success".

⚠️ Well the truth is that the price does not make the difference. I have been on the market since 2010, I went through almost general hiring freezes, through economic crisis in 2009 (or was it 2010, 2011, or all those years?), through the COVID shutdown. If I am still standing, it is because I deliver
➡️ Quality.

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👻 Have you ever met ghostbusters? I have. Some of them are recruiters.

I was recently speaking with a Talent Acquisition Leader who was expanding their team.
They received 200+ applications and shortlisted 10–15 strong candidates. But then something surprising happened: they immediately ruled out three of the top profiles.
Why?
Because a few years ago, when they were job hunting, those three were working as recruiters at a company they applied to.
No reply.
No feedback.
No acknowledgment—despite follow-ups.
Their conclusion: ghosting.
They said to me:
“We may not have time to reply to everyone personally, but no answer at all? That’s just disrespectful. People trust us with their data. They show interest in our companies. The least we can do is acknowledge them.
I don’t want to hire anyone who doesn’t share that value. Ghosting ruins trust. And we’re in HR—we should know better.”
Honestly, they were right.
I’ve ghosted candidates in the past—thinking the world was big and the moment would pass.
But the world is small.
People remember.
To anyone I’ve ever ghosted: I’m sorry.
And thank you to those who forgave me.
Let’s do better.
Let’s be human.
Let’s show respect—even when we’re busy.

💬 Have you ever experienced ghosting—from either side of the table?
How do you or your company handle candidate communication?
👇 I'd love to hear your thoughts.
#Recruitment #TalentAcquisition #Ghosting #HumanResources #RespectInHiring #CandidateExperience #HiringEthics #Leadership #HRMatters #DoBetter

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ARE YOU A SUPERHERO?

We often read stories about life-changing moments. Even in recruitment, some candidates say a head-hunter changed their life—or vice versa.
Of course, this is a figure of speech. What people really mean is that the encounter had a strong impact—left a lasting impression. But truthfully, no one can change someone else's life. Only YOU can do that. It’s your life, and since you’re free, only you are in control. If someone else is, then that’s something to worry about.

So, what really matters? The quality of the relationship and trust.

When people understand and trust each other, real conversations happen—ideas, perspectives, and advice are shared. That’s when awareness grows, new paths appear, and progress becomes possible.

That’s why it’s so important to choose your partners carefully. Not every head-hunter—or candidate—is the right one. Beyond specialisation and competence, the real criteria are quality and trust.

At Apavarga Consulting, we work to ensure that everyone involved feels good about the process—us, our candidates, and our clients. Not because it's nice, but because it's essential. That’s not a judgment. It’s a fact.

Image generated by ChatGPT

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HOW DO WE ASSESS PEOPLE IN MODERN TIMES?

I’ve been reading more and more about how AI is used in written communication. Many posts and comments on social networks are now based on a human idea—but executed by AI.
So what about recruitment?
Let’s not be naïve. Today, both recruiters and candidates know that CVs and job ads are often reviewed—or even written—by AI. The same goes for questionnaires. Both the questions and the answers can be AI-generated, based on human intent.
As a head-hunter, I also go through selection processes—especially when pharma, biotech, or medtech companies assess providers for Preferred Supplier Lists (PSLs). I understand that Procurement and Talent Acquisition teams are busy. They don’t have time to write 100 questions for a tender, and we don’t have time to answer 100 manually either. So yes, AI helps both sides. Fair enough.
But here's the real question:
If AI comes before human contact, are we still driving fair and meaningful evaluation?
We’re in the business of human resources, after all. AI-generated documents may be smooth, clear, and polite—but where’s the surprise, the emotional nuance, the personality? Everything feels... flat.
So should we throw away CVs and forms? No. But we should be smarter—meaning more human—than AI.
AI is a powerful tool. It helps us process information faster. But when it comes to making the right selection, nothing beats a real conversation. I trust interviews and human intuition far more than any perfectly formatted form.
And one more thing—for companies launching PSL tenders:
If you already know you're not planning to add new providers, why bother with the process? Even with AI, is it really worth creating the illusion of opportunity?
If you truly want to assess new external recruiters, why not use our own method? Cold-call us. Speak to us. It would save time, energy, and frustration—on both sides. And maybe, just maybe, you'd discover partners who can challenge the status quo and bring real value.

Let’s use AI as a tool—but keep humans at the heart of what we do.

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