Last month we invited iRecruit customers to give us their feedback on the candidate ghosting phenomenon. We asked two simple questions in a survey:
“Have you ever been ghosted by an applicant?” And “Have you ever been ghosted by a new hire?” Unsurprisingly 100 percent of our customers who responded, said Yes, they had been ghosted. Customers also report being ghosted by new hires. Only a small slice 12.5 percent had never been ghosted by a new hire.
What is “ghosting”?
It’s when someone goes radio silent on you despite your repeated attempts to contact them. Notably it has been a word associated with online dating, and in the last year or so it has also been associated with recruiting and hiring.
Is there a way to prevent ghosting by candidates or new hires?
“No,” said Angela Rafine, “You cannot control other peoples actions!”
Many employers are looking for ways to combat candidate ghosting, and find ways to reduce it. Our customers tell us:
“The best advice I can offer is to be persistent, and consistent in trying to get them to respond. We usually try for a period of time after the last contact, then we may try again after some time has passed, and once in a while it brings them back around.” – Starr Yarbrough
“Try to keep in contact with your applicants or new hires prior to interviews or start dates as much as possible to keep them engaged and avoid surprises. Always ask if they have other offers to consider and how their interest in your position compares to other opportunities.” – Kerri Kardin
“I try to send out reminder emails for interviews and/or orientation, that usually prompts them to say they are declining the position or interview.” – Peron Scott
Our advice to employers is to try to keep in contact with candidates as much as possible, especially through a long hiring process. See How to Avoid Being Ghosted for communication ideas.
We’ll keep the Employer Ghosting Survey open until October 31st(!) and report back on any additional findings.
