A Warning to Companies - Why Decency in Hiring is Non-Negotiable

In the ever-evolving realm of artificial intelligence, where the boundaries between professionals are as thin as a line of code, I've navigated the landscape as an independent recruiter for nearly eight years. Let me unravel a cautionary tale for companies seeking to hire AI experts – a story that underscores the importance of decency in the hiring process.

Picture this: A vibrant AI community, where faces weave in and out of conferences, meetups, and virtual forums. It's a small world, and encounters with the same individual can be as frequent as an algorithm's loop. Here's the takeaway – tread carefully, for you never know where you'll cross paths with someone again.

Yet, despite the interconnected tapestry of the AI world, some companies still fumble in the hiring dance. They advertise positions for Data Scientists, Data Engineers, ML Engineers, and more. Resumes flood in, cover letters are crafted, and candidates carve out precious time for interviews. The dance begins, but not everyone makes it to the final round.

It's the rejected professionals I want to shine a light on – those who poured their energy into the process only to receive a cold rejection, sometimes not even that... It's a plea to the hiring companies: Keep it decent. In this close-knit community, word spreads faster than a neural network computes data. Every rejected candidate holds the potential to become a future colleague, collaborator, or even a decision-maker.

Give them the courtesy of feedback – a roadmap to understand why their journey with your company ended. It's not just about self-improvement; it's about respect. Respect for the time and effort invested by these professionals. A rejection without feedback is akin to a silent shutdown in the AI world – frustrating, confusing, and, more importantly, damaging.

Imagine the ripple effect – a rejected candidate sharing their experience within the tight-knit AI community. The tale of respect or disregard will echo through conversations, and your company's reputation will be etched into the minds of potential hires. In a field where collaboration and reputation are the currency, companies can't afford to overlook the power of treating candidates with decency.

So, before you dismiss a potential AI expert, remember the smallness of this world. In the intricate dance of hiring, every step you take leaves an imprint. Choose decency, and your company might just find itself in the spotlight for all the right reasons – a beacon in the vast and interconnected universe of artificial intelligence.