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Writer's pictureRana Kordahi

Rebuilding Trust with Employers After a Bad Experience



I remember it like it was yesterday. It was around 2011, and I went out to reverse market for the day. I was stocked up with business cards, new brochures, and was full of optimism. However, my optimism was quickly tested when I knocked on an employer’s door, only to be met with hostility as soon as I introduced myself and mentioned which job provider I worked for.

It turned out, that this employer who had a small construction company had been burned previously by our job seekers. Apparently, they didn’t show up on their first day. But he also revealed that two previous employment consultants failed to deliver on their promises and then disappeared. “I’m sick of dealing with employment consultants who don’t know what they’re doing. On top of that, they send me deadbeats who don’t show up. How do I know you’ll be different?” he said.

Despite the rocky start, I managed to turn this employer around, and within the next few months, he hired one of my job seekers.

Another time, an employer needed a kitchen hand as soon as possible for his small café. I convinced him to interview and hire a young man who without my knowledge, had a drinking problem and failed to show up on his second day. I also didn’t qualify this job seeker well, so pushed him into the role. The employer was extremely disappointed, and I felt embarrassed for letting him down. Although he went elsewhere at that time to find another kitchen hand, he hired a waitress who I referred to him six months later.

Are these one-off stories of disappointing an employer? Not at all. I have a fair share. And did I always succeed in salvaging the relationships? Definitely not. Some relationships couldn’t be saved, and I had to cut my losses. But I can confidently say that I managed to save some relationships that seemed unsalvageable.

Now I’m sure some of you reading about my experiences could be nodding your head in agreement remembering your own experience of having to save face with an employer.

So what did I do, and how can you turn things around when this happens to you?

1. Take Responsibility for the Mistake - This means taking accountability for what has happened whether it’s your fault or not. This is not the time to blame the job seeker, or your colleagues. For example, when I met with a hostile employer who owned a construction company, although it was previous colleagues who let him down, I took full responsibility as the representative of my employment provider. I didn’t try to prove him wrong, or get defensive about his experience. Taking responsibility for mistakes, regardless of fault, is essential when it comes to establishing trust and credibility with employers. When you acknowledge an issue openly, it demonstrates integrity and accountability. As a result, this can help strengthen the relationship between the employment consultant and the employer.

2. Validate their Experience - This is a crucial step when addressing concerns and rebuilding trust. When validating and acknowledging an employer’s bad experience, you can start by saying things like, “That sounds really frustrating,” or “I’m sorry that you had this experience with us/me.” Also, it’s a good idea to summarise and repeat what you’ve heard to confirm your understanding. “So, what I’m hearing is that the main issue was that Bob was not fast enough when it came to taking orders and this really affected the workflow and customer service that morning.” Validating an employer’s feelings and acknowledging their experience displays empathy and helps humanise the interaction. It also defuses tension and anger an employer may be feeling at that moment.

3. Find out What Happened - If the employer had a negative experience, it’s a good idea to ask them questions to gain a better understanding of their experience and perspective. Start by posing open-ended questions, such as, "May I ask about some of the challenges you encountered?" or, if it involves one of your job seekers, try asking this very simple question before trying to justify or rectify the situation, "Do you mind sharing what happened?" This will allow the employer to tell the story in depth. Don’t ask the easy questions, but try to dig deeper. For example, "Can you please help me understand what promises the previous consultant made that were never fulfilled?" Asking questions and listening to the response, will demonstrate that you actually care about the employer’s experience, as well as give you the opportunity to gather as much information to be able to propose an alternative solution.

4. Build Solid Relationships - If you build a solid relationship with an employer and you make some mistakes, they are more likely to forgive you. Even if the mistake was putting the wrong person into their business, or having a job seeker do a no-show. Adding value and going out of your way for them are key components of successful business relationship. Whether it’s providing extra resources, personalised support, or simply being responsive, these acts of service demonstrate that you care about their success. Employers will continue to work with you if they feel valued and respected. This is beneficial for both parties, ensuring consistent job opportunities for future placements. For example, one of the reasons I was able to continue working with the disappointed restaurant owner who needed a kitchen hand, was because of our strong relationship. Despite being let down by my job seeker, I continued to add value to his business and kept the lines of communication open.

5. Seek Feedback - Be sure to constantly seek feedback, even when everything is going well. “Your feedback is appreciated, do you mind helping me by telling me what can I do to improve this service?” Or, when addressing a complaint or concern, be sure to seek feedback by asking questions like, “What could we have done differently to prevent this from happening?” or, ”What can I do next time to ensure a better experience for you?’’ Getting feedback from employers facilitates open communication. It makes employers feel heard and appreciated and can open up more direct, constructive discussions in the future. As a result, this can help you identify where your services can improve and what can be done better and differently next time.

6. Set Expectations - This means that although you truly believe in your job seeker, and have faith they can do this job well and really want this job, set expectations and don’t over promise anything to the employer. Under-promising and over-delivering increases your credibility. Employers are more likely to view you as a reliable partner, when you meet or exceed their expectations. Also, it’s important to set clear expectations. This helps clear misunderstandings. By communicating what can realistically be achieved, you reduce the risk of employers feeling misled or disappointed. For example, one of the reasons the disgruntled construction employer began to trust me was because I was very direct. I explained that while I would do everything possible to find serious, skilled candidates who wouldn’t take the job for granted, sometimes humans are unpredictable. The only thing I could control was how I showed up with reliability, integrity, and consistency.


Doing many of the above things mentioned is crucial to helping us rebuild trust with an employer when they feel let down by us, our job seekers or our service.

But we must also remember that recruiting, whether from an expensive top talent firm or a free employment provider is highly unpredictable.


Humans are very complex and changeable. Sometimes, a job seeker who presents as extremely eager and reliable, without any obvious red flags may blindside us. We need to be prepared and have the tools to handle the situation.


Rebuilding trust with employers after they’ve had bad experiences takes patience, sincerity, and consistent effort. Each interaction is an opportunity to demonstrate reliability and rebuild the broken trust.


 

Would you like to learn how to help more people into work through reverse marketing? Be sure to check out our Reverse Marketing & Sales Mastery Program which will give you all the processes, frameworks, scripts and strategies.


 


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