How Much Candidate Chasing is Too Much?
In the world of recruitment, particularly in Accountancy & Finance, timing, communication, and professionalism are key ingredients for success—for both clients and candidates. At Môrwell, we pride ourselves on respectful, proactive engagement with the individuals we represent. But we often find ourselves asking a surprisingly common question:
How much chasing is too much?
Let’s set the scene. You’re a candidate actively seeking a new role. Your CV is uploaded to job boards. Your LinkedIn profile says “Open to Work”. Your contact details are visible. As recruiters, we interpret that as a green light—a signal that you’re ready for a conversation. So we pick up the phone, send a message, or drop you a short email… and then, nothing.
No reply. No bounce-back. Just radio silence.
Now, we understand—life gets busy. People travel, change their minds, or find new roles quickly. But this lack of engagement raises an important topic around expectations and mutual respect in the recruitment process.
Why Do Recruiters Follow Up?
We’re not trying to “pester” anyone. We follow up because:
- We genuinely think we might have something of interest to offer.
- We know the market moves quickly & missed calls can mean missed opportunities.
- We respect your time and want to move things forward (or close the loop) efficiently.
As recruiters, we have a duty to our clients, yes … but also to you as a candidate. If we contact you, it’s because we believe you’re a good fit for something specific we have in mind currently or will fit future roles we might have. We’re not blindly spamming your inbox.
When Does Persistence Become Pushy?
The answer isn’t always black and white, but we work to a simple principle: respect the candidate’s space while still demonstrating our intent. At Môrwell, we might:
- Try two to three polite follow-ups across different mediums (e.g. email, LinkedIn message, a brief call).
- Leave a final message giving you the option to re-engage when you’re ready.
- Then, let it go. No hounding. No guilt-tripping.
We want to work with candidates, not chase them down a rabbit hole!
A Gentle Ask to Candidates
If your details are public and you’re saying you’re “open to work”, then consider the following:
- Check your messages. Sometimes we’re trying to reach you about a role that ticks all your boxes.
- Reply with clarity. Even a quick “thanks but I’m sorted” or “not the right time” is hugely appreciated and saves everyone time.
- Keep your profiles up to date. If you’re no longer looking, updating your status avoids unnecessary follow-up—for everyone’s benefit.
In Summary
We get it … recruitment isn’t always top of your list. But communication is key to any successful job search. A quick message, a short conversation, or even a polite decline can go a long way in building long-term relationships.
At Môrwell, we’re not just matching CVs to job specs. We’re here to advise, support, and connect people to meaningful opportunities. But that only works if we talk to each other.
Let’s keep the conversation going.