The term ‘ghosting’ refers to the act of someone suddenly and without warning cutting off contact with another individual. It is often used in the context of casual dating, where someone opts to simply stop calling, texting, or emailing rather than having a potentially unpleasant and awkward conversation about ceasing the relationship. Ghosting is childish and it can be hurtful. And, unfortunately, ghosting has found its way into the employment recruitment process.
Prospective job candidates, serious about an opportunity, put a lot of care and attention into applying for their desired roles. They pore over their resumes to ensure they are properly reflecting their experience and best relating it to the role at hand. They carefully craft a cover letter that explains what drew them to the role. They research the companies they are applying for to ensure a good cultural fit. They line up their references. They do mock interviews and may even spring for a new interview outfit. So, it’s disappointing when, after all of that effort and anticipation, they end up being ghosted by a prospective employer.
Why Do Employers Ghost Prospective Candidates?
There are several reasons why a potential employer might ghost a candidate after an interview.
The position is no longer available
The position may be no longer available. This could be as a result of budget cuts, or some organizational restructuring, or even by filling the position with someone internally.
They didn’t feel the candidate was right for the role
Perhaps the candidate did not interview well. Perhaps they missed a key instruction or deliverable during the application process that flags to the employer that they don’t pay attention to details. Or perhaps they received a less-than-glowing reference. Whatever the reason, if a hiring manager has decided not to proceed with an offer, they may simply choose to stay silent on the matter rather than be the bearer of bad news.
The employer is disorganized
Sometimes companies have the best intentions of getting back to all candidates, but the ball gets dropped as far as who is delivering the actual notification. Is it the hiring manager? Is it the interviewer? Is it human resources? Or things could have gotten busy, and the notification kept getting pushed further and further down the to-do list.
Sometimes it is the Candidate that Does the Ghosting
On the other hand, candidates have been known to engage in ghosting themselves. Pulling a no-show for an interview without notification or going silent upon receipt of a letter of offer. There have even been reported instances of candidates accepting a job and then not showing up for the first day. Suffice to say, this goes over about as well with potential employers as it does in the dating world.
The Ghosting Alternative
Ghosting candidates really should be avoided at all costs. Ghosting does reputational damage, and during times of rapid growth or labor shortages, companies who ghosted may end up regretting that move.
Fortunately, HRMC provides a perfect alternative to ghosting. The Acclaim process minimizes ghosting in several ways:
- ● First, it completes all it needs to know in a single candidate engagement up to the final interview. Stops and restarts for the candidate to abandon the process between steps;
- ● Second, the automated interview presents company information to the candidate in line with the nature of the questioning at that point. It creates a more lifelike interview experience and provides company information at the point of greatest impact, thus encouraging candidates to continue with the process;
- ● Third, Acclaim appeals to resume-less passive candidates who are truly interested in the company and the process, rather than just firing off resumes to every possible opening like active job seekers often do. And afterward deciding whether they really want to pursue the opportunity;
- ● Fourth, Acclaim provides disposition to all candidates for each job they applied to, so no one is left wondering;
- ● Fifth, Acclaim automatically stays in touch with all candidates, keeping them advised of other opportunities as they arise, company happenings, and anything that might impact their status.
Don’t let ghosting haunt your organization. Sign up for your free Acclaim demo today and make ghosting a thing of the past.
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