Last week, one of my candidates was faced with a challenging decision. After a month of interviews and various conversations with a leading real estate investment firm, they signed an offer letter to begin working the following Monday. Both the candidate and employer were ecstatic to set the job in motion.
Amidst the excitement of a new job, the candidate forgot to mention that they would be a groomsman in a wedding across the country the weekend before their start date. This candidate called me and expressed their concern right after they submitted their signed offer letter explaining that they would feel culpable if someone were to be exposed to COVID-19 from their personal decision to travel. After exploring possible solutions, the candidate decided that it was imperative for them to test negative for COVID-19 before beginning their first day with the new employer.
To me, this was an incredible example of integrity and I fully supported their decision to postpone their first day of their new job for the sake of safety. When the candidate expressed this to the company, they were met with gratitude and understanding. The company felt as though their hiring decision was reinforced by the candidate’s character display of responsibility and transparency. The company also offered to reimburse the candidate for this expense.
In times like these, it is imperative that employees and candidates are making smart decisions regarding the health and safety of themselves and their surroundings. Thankfully this candidate tested negative and is assimilating into their new position and work environment successfully. This experience demonstrated to all of those involved that integrity will always take precedence during a decision-making process.
Berkeley Davis serves as a Managing Director at RETS Associates, a national real estate executive search firm. She can be reached at berkeley@retsusa.com
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