Recuiter demands an apology from job applicant for informing to HR about their exit from the hiring process: 'You heavily wasted my and client's time’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jul 27, 2026 2:30 PM EDT

Are you "wasting a recruiter's time" if you decide the job they are offering is not meant for you?

The way we've always seen it, a job interview process is a two-way street that is not only meant to determine whether a candidate is fit for a job, but also if the job fits them. 

For some reason, people think that since there is only one job and usually hundreds of applicants, the hiring process is meant to find only someone who can do the job best, but they fail to understand that the job should also meet the top candidate's criteria. If it doesn't, then it's simply not going to work.

So, why is it okay for a company to waste job applicants' time by making them go through multiple interviews and assignments, only to eventually reject 99% of them, but then complain when one candidate does the same and pulls out of the hiring process when they realize they don't want the job? If they don't care about wasting others' time, they shouldn't be surprised when others waste some of theirs.

The reason why the recruiter here was so mad has more to do with just his wasted time and effort; he also struggled with keeping his massive ego at bay.

It all started with one job candidate, who decided that they did not want to keep going with the hiring process because they realized they were content with their current job. A day before their second interview, they emailed HR and the recruiter, informing them of their withdrawal and thanking them for their time. The candidate expected that to be the end of the process, but they were shocked to receive a stern message from the recruiter, accusing them of handling the situation all wrong and wasting everyone's time. 

The candidate shared the entire message online, and we could not believe what we were reading. The complaints the recruiter made were so unbelievable, we actually feel bad for the company that has to keep working with them.

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  • 01

    Message from recruiter after exiting interview process

    100 8:08 • Sinan Gilroy 1:38 AM Unsubscribe to me (in) < Linked in InMail: You have a new message Reply Thats it? You just go straight to my client and do a 360 and change your mind, basically having wasted all of our precious time without an apology or the courtesy of letting me tell my client myself. You seemed like a stand-up guy and I asked you to call if any mind changes out of respect as this is my process and client which I presented to you, therefore was surprised and disappointed at the
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  • 02
    Backstory: I was approached by this recruiter for an engineering position in my city. I told him I was happy with my current job but
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  • 03
    might be interested in the new one because it was much closer to home. Basically I told him let's just see where this goes.
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  • 04
    A single virtual interview was set up with an engineering manager which I attended and it went well. 30 minutes afterward the HR personnel
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  • 05
    for the company reached out to schedule a second interview in the same week (3 days away). At this point, I didn't really have time to
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  • 06
    digest the first interview and position details but I went ahead and scheduled one. The recruiter called me after and told me to "Really think
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  • 07
    about this because they are moving fast and will likely make an offer assuming the second interview goes well".
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  • 08
    He did NOT ask me to call him like he said in the screenshot.
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  • 09
    Recruiter emailing a candidate who exited the interview process.
    via Karola G

    Recruiter emailing a candidate who exited the interview process.

    Subjects are models.

  • 10
    I want to point out that during this process I was directly communicating with both the company HR and this recruiter separately.
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  • 11
    Now, I did exactly what the recruiter said and thought about it, and realized that I was not ready for a switch and am genuinely content
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  • 12
    with my current job. I guess this is where I messed up?? I emailed both the HR director and the recruiter at the same time detailing that I
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  • 13
    appreciated their time and consideration while politely asking to be removed from the applicant pool. This was done 24 hours before the
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  • 14
    second interview. I guess I could've sent something sooner, but they were moving so fast.
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  • 15
    Person working on a laptop.
    via Burst

    Person working on a laptop.

    Subject is a model.

  • 16
    So that's it is what I did (going straight to the HR team) truly a sin? If it was truly unprofessional, then I will apologize.
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  • 17
    I will not be apologizing for "changing my mind and doing a '360' (lol)" and I certainly won't be sending referrals (as if I have any). I do
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  • 18
    have half a mind to forward this message to the HR team to let them know this is how their recruiter is behaving.
    via SheboyganSmorgasbord
  • 19
    romansixx I would just write back "I think you mean 180"
    via romansixx
  • 20
    HistoricalHurry8361 Lmao they're gonna talk down to you and then ask you to refer someone?
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  • 21
    Hold The Tomatoes Plz I would forward this email to HR and let them determine how to address it
    via HoldTomatoesPlz
  • 22
    thursaddams Hahaha he's so unprofessional and emotional. Someone needs a massage and a nap.
    via thursaddams

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Tags

recruiter hr job hiring manager work hiring job search unprofessional company employment
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