Tips from a Recruiter: Ghosting
Ghosting refers to the act of suddenly stopping all communication without sharing any reason or feedback. In the employment industry, this can be done by candidates, recruiters, and hiring managers.
This survey by Indeed cites the following:
- 28% of surveyed job seekers have ghosted an employer
- 77% have been ghosted by an employer
- Only 27% of employers say they haven’t ghosted a job seeker in the past
- Nearly half (46%) of employers surveyed believe that employers are now ghosting job seekers more frequently than before
Whatever direction it comes from, it’s disrespectful and unprofessional, but happening more frequently with the unusual job market conditions. Here is what you can do to help –
#1: Be Honest
Candidates – If you are no longer interested or took another job, tell us!
Employers/Recruiters – If you have talked to someone, close the loop, and don’t leave them hanging. Even if you don’t have specific feedback as to why they weren’t chosen, a simple email sharing they aren’t moving forward is better than ghosting them.
#2: Check Your Messages and Respond
Candidates – Check your email and voicemail daily (make sure you have room in your voicemail).
Employers/Recruiters – If a candidate follows up, respond. It doesn’t have to be lengthy, but a short email, call or text can keep from a poor candidate experience.
#3: Don’t Take It Personally
Candidates – Try to understand that recruiters and hiring managers receive hundreds of applications for one job, so responding to everyone is nearly impossible. However, if you have interviewed for the position, you should expect communication throughout the process.
Employers/Recruiters – Hiring is not for the faint of heart and the talent acquisition process is challenging, so if a candidate drops off your radar and you’ve tried to keep in touch, move on.
Ghosting is not new in the job market, but it’s more common now. It would benefit all of us – candidates, recruiters, and hiring managers – to just be honest and respectful to each other.
2 Responses
Finally, someone from the other side with me being a candidate is addressing the ghosting issue. Just a simple email expressing they’ve moved onto other candidates. For the sake of saving a recruiter valuable time, a rejection worded template is good for me so I know the opportunity does not exist for me anymore. As a serious job seeker, I spend a lot of quality time crafting a cover letter and resume to carefully match my skills and qualifications to each and every job description so I don’t miss out on a skill or qualification I may have, but perhaps I may have defined it differently. After reviewing your article, I am more aware to make sure to do my part and always be honest with a recruiter as to where I stand on my status of an opportunity.
Thank you for your comment, Dave. I think the overall goal is just a positive experience for everyone and it starts with transparency and respect on both sides. No need to ghost!