If you’ve fallen victim to a candidate or potential employer “ghosting” keep reading. This unfortunate habit that surfaced through the abandonment of dating your newest Tinder interest has peeked into the professional realm. People would rather succumb to their apprehensions than find answers and it’s affecting not only job seekers and potential employers but recruiters too. I’m not singling out candidates who are ghosting interviews or job offers, I am also shining a light on companies who are ghosting candidates’ post-interview with no reason as to why they do not want to move forward. The question is why is this happening? It is due to people wanting to avoid disputes, which in today’s world could be understandable (cough, cough, cancel culture). It could be due to simply not dedicating the time it takes to tell someone “no,” or even due to the increase of options that are available to candidates today. Regardless, the professional world is no place for this distasteful act and if you are someone who has committed the crime, please refrain from moving forward.
Studies show that 46% of candidates will simply not show up for their interview, and 7% fail to appear on their first day. Any of our recruiters would certainly confirm those statistics to be true. Sadly, we have candidates who ghost their interviews as well as our follow-up attempts. In most cases, we assume that the candidate may have accepted another job offer, which isn’t a crime. What we’re not sure about, however, is why the candidates feel they cannot let us know via a phone call or email. The person who is interviewing has likely already asked if you are applying to other places, so they can have an idea of how active you are in your own job search. Being active in your job search is not a negative thing! I can speak for our recruiting firm (and all others) when I say nowhere on our application does it ask for collateral should you not accept an offer from one of our clients. So why are people afraid to say they have accepted a different offer? We will simply congratulate you and move on. Aside from a simple “I’ve changed my mind,” you never know where life is going to take you. Unfortunately, due to the significant increase in layoffs, candidates have found themselves in an unexpected job search and may have ghosted us in the past. Everybody deserves a second chance but not all companies feel the same. Keep in mind that though you think they will not remember the time you did not show up for your interview, they will, and life has a funny way of coming full circle. If you find yourself in a position where you have an interview scheduled and have also just accepted your dream job offer, pick up the phone or send an email explaining that you have found and accepted a position and are no longer in need of an interview at this time. Thank them for their time and apologize for any inconvenience. A heads-up is extremely appreciated.
Now, on the other hand, we see that employers are ghosting potential candidates. Many candidates have recently been ghosted in their job search. Ultimately, it is expected that the employer should be setting an example and embodying their company culture even during the hiring process. What message are you sending to a prospective candidate by ghosting them? On top of the fact that you likely just lost a qualified candidate, people love posting their experiences (specifically negative) on social media to let others know of their dissatisfaction, and you may likely lose the opportunity to receive applications from other qualified candidates. Studies show that 75% of job seekers have been ghosted by a company after a job interview. Is it because you feel like you’re exempt from having to spend the extra 5 minutes telling the candidate, no? Or are you unsure of how to let them down easily? If you have time to interview them, you need to make time to tell them it’s not going to work out. It’s a level of respect that has gotten lost but can easily be found again.
If you’re experiencing candidates ghosting your interviews, or you’re being ghosted yourself, give us a call at (518) 275-4816 where we are dedicated to both finding your perfect job fit as well as finding qualified candidates for your open roles!
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