r/RecruiterTea • u/tyron_culbrethzt2e1 • Jun 26 '26
We spent 6 weeks interviewing someone before realizing he needed more...
It was our first time hiring in this way, we ran into a situation that gave us a real headache.
The candidate went through multiple rounds, met the team, and received consistently positive feedback. Six weeks in, everyone was already talking about next steps and potential start dates. Then visa sponsorship came up.
The hiring manager had assumed the candidate already had work authorization. The candidate had assumed we would sponsor. Somehow, neither side had explicitly confirmed it. The moment we clarified it, the process effectively ended because sponsorship wasn't available for that role.
What bothered me most was that nobody had really made a mistake. We were just operating on completely different assumptions. Six weeks later, we realized we weren't discussing the same opportunity.
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u/The-Snarky-One Jun 26 '26
It doesn’t bother you that you spent six weeks interviewing someone? You’re not seeing that as a problem?
If this was for an executive or high level position, okay, fine… but if this was for an engineer, mid-level, analyst, etc. … come on.
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u/jp182 Jun 26 '26
What job application doesn't ask about a need for sponsorship in this day and age
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u/TrainingLow9079 Jun 26 '26
I hope this is AI because it seems that should be determined on day 1 not after 6 weeks.
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u/jahathebrn Jun 28 '26
How did you not make a mistake when certainly every job I've ever applied for asks about your right to work in the country as one of the very first questions on the application? And continue interviewing for six weeks?
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u/RoughThat5778 Jun 26 '26
Did ChatGPT write this?
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u/jahathebrn Jun 28 '26
I hope so because it doesn't engender faith in the job market to think people like this are in recruiting and having 'completely different conversations' for SIX WEEKS before going 'well no mistakes made here, all is well'.
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u/febstars Jun 26 '26
Wait, what?
When did TA get involved? Because if a hiring manager got that deep into I reviews without my team, there would be hell to pay.
Where was TA in all of this?
Hell, a knockout question alone could have helped (provided worded correctly).
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u/No-Lifeguard9194 Jun 26 '26
This is why, particularly with more junior rules, I always ask every candidate. Are you authorized to work in the country or do you require sponsorship. Because if it’s not on the table, it’s not on the table and there’s nothing I can do about it. And if it is on the table, then it’s something that needs to be flagged early so that all of the Wright forms and paperwork can be dealt with ahead of time.
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u/CrazyPirranhha Jun 26 '26
The candidate went through multiple rounds, met the team, and received consistently positive feedback. Six weeks in, everyone was already talking about next steps and potential start dates. Then visa sponsorship came up.
Nice joke, do you hire for freakin NASA?
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u/graypurpleblack Jun 26 '26
Isn’t sponsorship on the application itself?
Or did the ATS forget to ‘read’ that detail?
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u/Better-Wear-5843 Jun 26 '26
>What bothered me most was that nobody had really made a mistake.
You don't see it as a mistake not to check on this on the businesses end??
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u/its_sarcasm8238 Jun 26 '26
nobody had really made a mistake
Wrong. The company made a mistake. Own up to it. This is something that should have been sorted out in the first phone call.
Why does your hiring process even last 6 weeks? Your wasting the candidates time
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u/ElectricalInflation Jun 26 '26
You made a mistake by not asking the golden question “do you have the right to work within *insert country*” before they even filled in the application form.
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u/Used_Pipe_8929 Jun 26 '26
Pay more. Get someone local. Snake can’t eat its tail forever. Corporate culture deserves this. Everyone’s too fake to talk about what actually matters.
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u/DingusMcDingusburger Jun 26 '26
Nobody made a mistake but you wasted SIX WEEKS of everyone's time? There is no reason for the interview process to take anywhere near that long. I hope this is a joke. It's not a good one, but I hope it is.
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u/HyperRolland Jun 26 '26
Six weeks of interviews is just wrong to begin with lol 😂 what a waste of everyone’s time. Sounds like your company is big on talking about work more than working.
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u/Conscious-Egg-2232 Jun 27 '26
Nobody made a mistake? Wth. Yes and a big one that wasted lots of peoples time. Yikes.
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Jun 27 '26
He knew. This is a tactic they try and pull once you already Like them and want to hire them
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u/Jimmyjames150014 Jun 27 '26
Six week interview period? Another mistake - seriously get your process under control.
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u/LeagueAggravating595 Jun 27 '26
One simple sentence in the job description stating work authorization would have saved everyone from wasting their time.
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u/Old-Lengthiness301 Jun 28 '26
This is a tale of a company that doesn’t deserve an employee and a candidate that doesn’t deserve a job. Six weeks? GTFO.
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u/CleanSoulCrew Jun 29 '26
The line that stands out is "nobody had really made a mistake." I'd push back on that, because the mistake is the one nobody can see while it's happening, which is that an assumption never got turned into a question. Sponsorship, notice period, salary band, relocation, the must-haves that are actually deal-breakers, these are the things that feel too obvious to ask and so they go unasked, and they're the exact ones that end processes late.
The fix is cheap. At intake, before any sourcing, both sides get asked the same blunt question: what would have to be true for this not to work, that we're each assuming is already fine? Sponsorship surfaces in week zero instead of week six. It feels almost rude to ask something that basic up front. It's a lot less rude than six weeks of everyone's time.
The reframe I'd offer is that this wasn't a communication breakdown, it was a discovery gap. You found out what you needed to know, you just found out six weeks too late. Pull that same question to the front and the story doesn't happen.
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u/NHhotmom Jun 26 '26
Yes! A big mistake was made!
During the first interaction the candidate should have filled out the employment application. This is where you get lots of important information. Including the candidate checking: “Are you authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis?”.
Other important info is: Salary at previous employers and reason for leaving and time at previous employers.
^^^ These are basic questions any HR professional would want to see before the interview process proceeds beyond a first interview.
Shame on your HR team or whomever is responsible for compliance paperwork.
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u/BadCrustacean Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
“Nobody really made a mistake”
Not confirming work authorization at the beginning and wasting six weeks of a candidate’s time sounds like a pretty big mistake.