Empathy and transparency: the secret of recruiters who make a difference

Originally from Canada, Zach Traer joined Skeeled in 2025 after working as Senior Recruiter at Hootsuite (formerly Talkwalker) for several years. He discusses with us the challenges associated with recruitment. In his opinion, it is important to consider each candidate better, as a person and not as just another resume.

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Responding to each application, in a personalized way, seems like nothing, but it makes all the difference.

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Zach, how would you summarize the challenges that recruitment actors currently face?

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Until recently, I was a Senior Recruiter at Hootsuite, the only one based in Europe. As such, I was in charge of all the recruitments made within the European Union, but also those made for our offices in Tokyo and Singapore, or those necessary to meet our coverage needs in the Middle East.

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Among the challenges that occupied me was maintaining the candidate experience that I offered at Talkwalker. Within a team of 10 people, my ambition was to ensure the same level of service, an optimal candidate experience, in order to contribute to the quality of recruitment. Hootsuite is a much better known brand than Talkwalker, which attracts applications by the thousands. The real challenge, therefore, is to ensure that we can give feedback to all the people who apply to us, to assure them that their application has been received and taken into account.

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So you were not confronted, like many Luxembourg actors, with an attractiveness problem?

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No Hootsuite is fairly easy to attract highly qualified talent. I could say that it is mainly thanks to its employer brand, but that would be too easy. The current market situation, following major social plans by several major Tech players since 2022, means that many profiles are looking for career opportunities again. Hootsuite is no longer in the situation where, in 2021, it was necessary to proactively search for talent. In the local market, some qualifications are lacking. But, as an international group, you have to give yourself the means to look for them far and wide.

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You mentioned the importance of ensuring an optimal candidate experience. Why is it important? How do you look at the current practices of the profession?

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In many situations, I consider that recruitment practices lack transparency and empathy. I have regularly had the opportunity to express myself on this subject. This observation, however, does not come directly from me, but from the candidates I meet. You only have to listen to them to understand that something is broken in our industry. Human relationships are at the heart of our business. Therefore, if we are not in a position to consider everyone as a person in their own right, and not as a resume or a line in a database, we are mistaken.

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Treating each candidate with respect and empathy is essential. It is the minimum we have to offer him.

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In your opinion, what are the pillars of a successful candidate experience?

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First of all, it is essential to treat each candidate with respect and empathy. It is the minimum that we should offer him. When you do that, you leave a positive impression on each person. If he or she remembers a positive experience, it also helps with our work. Other needs may arise over time. If a profile is not suitable for a specific position, it may be suitable for other functions. You have to keep the door open, try to maintain the connection. For a given position, hundreds of applications can be received. But just because some have not been selected or shortlisted does not mean they are not entitled to respect. You have to be able to empathize with everyone. To not do this is to forget who and what you are working for.

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What does the candidate have the right to expect?

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It must be possible to ensure the greatest transparency. It starts with the information provided in the job description. Showing respect means first of all avoiding having a vague initial approach. It's not okay if, at the end of reading the description, you don't know what you're going to do at work. Responsibilities must be clearly stated and projects must be well detailed. You have to be as transparent as possible about what the candidate can expect from the position. It is also necessary to be able to clearly state the proposed level of financial remuneration.

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The issue of transparency on wage levels is causing important discussions in Luxembourg...

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However, this is something that weighs a lot in the decision of candidates. So why couldn't we talk about it at the first stage and even indicate it on the job description? I think that would be a better thing. Is it logical that this is the element that is revealed at the very end, when the candidate and the employer have already made significant efforts in a recruitment process? The fact that European legislation calls for greater transparency on this subject reassures me. Things will change considerably in this area in the coming months, for the good of all.

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How do you do that?

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More transparency at the market level is a good thing. This should allow actors to better position themselves, but also to avoid false hopes on the side of candidates or outbidding. This should support Luxembourg's attractiveness internationally, by allowing everyone to benefit from a more realistic vision of the financial, but also social advantages, of working in Luxembourg. Everyone can therefore better project themselves into a career in Luxembourg. Empathy and transparency must be at the heart of the recruitment process, at the heart of our relationships with candidates.

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How is this expressed in concrete terms?

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Recently, I had a conversation with a great candidate who had performed extremely well throughout the hiring process. At the end of this study, it was found that these skills, both technical and social, allowed him to consider functions superior to that proposed. In all transparency, we offered him a salary range that was higher than what was offered and above these expectations. We did this because we believe that we need to reward people based on the value they can bring to the business. While some candidates come in with unreasonable expectations, others tend to underestimate them. Our job is also to tell them, to guide them. With respect to everyone, we must be able to negotiate, with transparency and empathy. Showing empathy also means telling yourself that a candidate has the right to make mistakes.

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So shouldn't recruitment be like an evaluation?

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An interview can be stressful. And we can miss it. It is also up to us to create the optimal conditions for the candidate, to both allow for a constructive discussion, but also to leave the best impression on him. You also have to accept excuses, an oversight, a delay, and give a second chance when they happen. You have to be accommodating. It would be a shame to miss out on a good candidate for these reasons. Good recruitment is the meeting between a candidate and an employer. Both must be able to come to an agreement.

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Empathy also means being able to give feedback to each candidate, whether their profile is discarded at the beginning of the process or whether the selection takes place later.

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For the candidate, the challenge is to make a good impression. Your mission is to find the right skills for the company. Is missing the right profile a source of anxiety on your end?

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No I admit that I have never reasoned like that. In a recent recruitment, we received a significant number of applications. At some point, we preferred to close the position, considering the resources needed to process all applications. Perhaps a rare find would have reached us if we had left the position open for one more week. But if you start to think like that, the risk is inaction. Our role, at all times, is to do the best we can to analyze the talents who apply. But, in the end, you have to make choices.

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Empathy also means being able to give feedback to everyone, whether their profile is discarded at the beginning of the process or whether the selection takes place later. At each stage, you must be able to inform the candidate, by seeking to personalize the relationship, to allow him to position himself. The process should be as pleasant as possible for candidates. And if, if necessary, the process stops for a candidate, I try to maintain the link, to stay in contact with everyone.

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What feedback do you get from the application of these practices?

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My inbox is full of messages from candidates who thank me for the quality of the experience. I keep them treasured. It reminds me that all these small efforts - responding to everyone, personalizing exchanges - have a huge impact on people. I personally make sure to respond to everyone, without exception. What I am describing to you, showing respect, empathy, transparency, in the end, is super simple. Most candidates are used to not getting feedback for the applications they send. Often, it's nothing. However, one answer makes all the difference.

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Although it seems simple, when you have to manage hundreds of applications, it still involves a significant effort...

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Yes, it is an effort. And, in our position, we have to be careful not to err on the side of empathy. At the beginning of my career, it was difficult. I wanted to give everyone a chance. You also need to be aware that you have a role to play. I should not be the only one to carry this empathy. It is necessary to awaken managers and my colleagues to the importance of these dimensions, to give honest feedback to everyone, so that everyone remains committed and interested. In the end, it is the companies that have understood and valued the importance of people in their processes that will have the least difficulty recruiting.

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What advice would you give to candidates looking for a job?

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When recruiting, we not only assess technical skills, but also character traits. These often make a difference, and in particular the fact of being curious. If I had to give advice to candidates, it is not to hesitate to ask questions, about the mission, about the project, about the company. In this way, he can start the conversation on key elements and show interest, share thoughts, knowledge. In this way, it indicates what it can contribute to the organization. It is essential and valuable for the recruiter.

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