Leadership Lesson: People Are Not Backup Plans

By Angela Harrison, MBA, MLS

Have you ever completed an entire hiring process — the phone screens, interviews, meet-and-greets — only to hear the organization chose another candidate? You take the news gracefully, wish them well, and genuinely hope they made the right choice… even though there’s that familiar sting of disappointment.

Then months later, the same organization reaches back out.The candidate they selected is transferring, and suddenly you are the person they want to talk to again. They extend a competitive salary offer — one they initiated — and everything seems to be moving forward. They promise a call by Thursday to discuss next steps.

Thursday comes… no call.Friday comes… still nothing. By Monday, you send a courteous follow-up email — only to be told they’ve gone with an internal candidate who will “work for less.”

And here’s where it doesn’t quite add up:

1. The salary offer came from them, not you.

2. If an internal candidate was viable, why reopen the process at all?

Look, business decisions happen. Budgets shift. Priorities get reshuffled. Leaders juggle competing needs — that’s reality.

But here’s another reality:

Candidates are human beings!

They have schedules, commitments, families, hopes, and emotions. They rearrange their days for interviews. They do research, prepare thoughtfully, show up authentically — all in good faith.

A simple follow-up call isn’t “extra.”It’s respect. It’s integrity. It’s leadership.

Organizations that forget this are investing in the wrong bottom line.

To anyone navigating your career right now — whether you’re job-seeking, selectively exploring opportunities, or unexpectedly being recruited — keep your head high. Every “almost” is not a failure; it’s a gentle redirect toward alignment. Toward the right team. Toward the “yes” that won’t make you question your worth.

Stay rooted. Stay hopeful. Your next opportunity is on its way — and it will value you from the very first conversation.