Flip the Script

January 12, 2026

Most recruiters frustrate not only themselves but the candidates as well by gatekeeping opportunities. They reach out to passive candidates, people who weren’t looking, and immediately flip into interrogation mode. They ask questions the candidate can’t possibly answer because the opportunity was never explained. The candidate is guessing, the recruiter is disappointed, and both walk away empty-handed. This is backwards. If you solicit someone, you owe them context first. Pitch the role. Pitch the company. Explain why they might be a fit. Give them something to react to. When you act like a gatekeeper, you create a dynamic where everyone loses. The best candidates won’t play that game, they don’t have to. And the ones who do play along are just telling you what they think you want to hear. Flip the script. Lead with value, not validation.