Y’all.
I’ve seen some recruiters say some pretty crazy stuff in the last couple of decades, but the idea that we (they) can actually BLACKLIST someone is… well. a bit out there for me.
Let me explain – but first let’s unpack the definition of “blacklist”
Alrighty! So CAN recruiters “blacklist”? Not necessarily… but what could happen:
Recruiters can record specific, actual conversations or communications that happen between recruiter/hm and candidate. So – if you cuss out a recruiter it’s quite likely that will be documented in the ATS and recorded for future recruiters to read.
Of course recruiters ALSO have the authority to decide who they want to work with and submit to hiring managers. It would be VERY UNETHICAL to not submit a candidate solely because you don’t like them. It would be REASONABLE to not submit a candidate because of repeated or highly problematic behaviors.
I don’t say any of this to freak people out. MOST recruiters are fair, realistic, and understand the difference between data points (had a bad day) and trends (consistently inappropriate or poor behavior).
Finally, if a recruiter is recording personal biases or making decisions based on anything OTHER than fit for the role / verifiable data points, it can reflect very badly on THEM.
Bottom line – NO – recruiters typically do not have the authority or influence to “blacklist” anyone for any reason – but they can definitely track factual data and let the actual hiring authority (typically hiring managers) decide for themselves.
The Golden Rule – treat others how you want to be treated – is always a best practice no matter what side of hiring you’re on.
