Member-only story
CVs and Crickets: My Encounter with a Forgetful Recruiter
How a recruiter’s unexpected silence influenced my approach to hiring.
“The future depends on what we do in the present.” - Mahatma Gandhi
About 10 years ago, I was looking for a new role. I’d been on a career break, nurturing my adorable twin girls, and was a bit rusty but ready to jump back into the tech world.
So, there I was, firing off job applications like a seasoned pro. Back in those days, remote work was as rare as a sunny day in Scotland, and recruiters were more hands-on. Enter our recruiter, let’s call her Jane. Jane prided herself on her unique approach — meeting candidates face-to-face, polishing their CVs, and then matching them with the perfect job. She was like a career fairy godmother, minus the wand.
Our meeting was set. I trotted off to Jane’s office, CV in hand, buzzing with excitement. We had a great chat and dissected my work history, and Jane promised to send over an email with her golden CV tips as soon as I had left. As we descended in the lift, chatting about this and that, I mentioned my twins. Jane’s face dropped faster than my hopes of getting that email. “Twins? And they’re only a year old? How on earth will you manage full-time work?” she gasped. I…
