New trend of recruiters making hiring decisions based on a late-night message test sparks debate

As the job market becomes more competitive, the methods of selecting a candidate from an ever-increasing pool of talent have changed a bit too. Now, hiring managers go way beyond an interview to pick a candidate who they think would be up for the job. The most recent test being talked about is the late-night text message. Hours after the interview, the manager messages the candidate to check the speed of their response as a way to understand if they are flexible or not, reports Business Insider.

The creator of this test, William Vanderbloemen, started using it due to his company's strenuous work, as his client requires someone who is responsive at all times. The text sent to the candidates reads, "Hey, Tim. This is Ben. I work at Vanderbloemen. I was out of the office today. I heard you were there. Heard that everyone was really impressed with you. I'm sorry I didn't get to meet you. I would love to connect with you sometime. Hope that can work." As per the outlet, those who text back quickly have a higher chance of getting the job.

However, Vanderbloemen also pointed out that how the person responds to the text doesn't stop them from getting the job. Even responding within 24 hours puts them way ahead of the competition. "We're just terrible as humans at responding," he added. If someone responds within a minute, Vanderbloemen thinks, "Then, we're like, 'Yeah, no, he might be the same kind of crazy that we are.'" However, he also pointed out it might not be a requisite or even a fit for every job. Although it might seem reasonable to some to check if the candidate can survive the company's work culture, the statement rubbed many people the wrong way. Chris J Reed posted about the test on LinkedIn and people had mixed responses.

Chu Chee Yen Bryan remarked, "Sounds like yet another case of wokeness having lost the plot again! (These are potential candidates, not your current employees. So, if there is an expectation to have them reply, is there a corresponding expectation to compensate them individually for their time in replying too?)" Meanwhile, Alexander van Zuylen felt, "I don't see the problem here. The recruiter sends late-night messages to determine if you are a good fit for the job. If the job requirement is that you respond to late-night messages, and since you applied for the job, you also want to reply to late-night messages... what exactly is the problem?"

Martin Walker shared, "I have 30 years of executive search experience. I have never thought of this 'tactic.' It's just ridiculous. I have texted candidates and clients at 'inappropriate' hours due to time differences. I have never judged anyone on the speed of reply." Lee Campe noted, "We are all responding, based on our 'opinion' of the tactic, rather than asking the question what does the data say about the correlation to a good hire? Is this recruiter popular and famous because she/he brings in very good talent? If so, they may be onto something, as only data from the results can answer the question. Everything else is just an argument for or against. I, for example, look at employee bathrooms, break rooms and reserved parking for leaders to tell me whether or not leadership cares about their employees. We all have our hacks."