Ghosting is one of the harsh realities plaguing the modern hiring process. People apply to jobs, go to interviews and then… crickets. On the other hand, job seekers apply to jobs and seem to disappear; employers narrow to a few finalists, interview and then… the darn crickets again.

Unfortunately, I’ve been on both sides of this streets as well. Meaning being, a good chunk of employers have ghosted me and I’ve also ghosted a few… but only a few, still, I’m no angel here.  

This culture of mutual ghosting causes irritation and it certainly destroys valuable professional relationships. Overlooking communication during hiring process is not good, no matter wha. It wastes time, burns bridges, and gives bad impressions to both job seekers and employers.

But knowing why it happens might assist in preventing it and promoting good hiring practices.

So, Why Do Employers Ghost Candidates?

Hiring managers and recruiters primarily ghost candidates for a few reasons, which are listed below:

• Number one reason why the HR ghost candidates is because they’re dealing with enormous workload while handling multiple vacancies and numerous applications. This makes it quite difficult for them to respond to every candidate… very much understandable.

• Second reason is some companies just don’t have any structured rejection emails. Don’t know if they’re not even remotely interested in such a thing or nobody has ever enlightened them for such an endeavor. So they end up leaving candidates hanging… wow, that’s the way to do it. 

• And third reason is that many recruiters just struggle to deliver rejection messages. They feel uncomfortable letting someone know that they are rejected. So they find a very effective solution and that is to choose silence and make them feel uncomfortable for an even longer period of time… not very emotionally intelligent decision BTW. 

This lack of communication leaves candidates frustrated and uncertain about their job prospects. A simple email update can go a long way in maintaining goodwill. 

I mean honestly, how hard it can be, huh… “you’re not the right guy/gal for the job, move along, period”… the candidate can now beat it after mumbling a couple of bad words, that’s it. Nobody is stuck for no reason.  

But Why Do Candidates Ghost Employers?

• Because candidates apply for multiple positions open in number of companies, they may secure another job but fail to inform other potential employers. Now, it’s their turn to say too many applications, I can’t inform all of ’em…

• Another reason is the fear of confrontation from the prospective employers after declining a job offer or withdrawing from a process. Of course, we all are humans here. 

• But some candidates just apply without genuine interest and fall out as soon as they lose motivation, i.e. if they had any. Wow, really, folks… why bother…

The point is just as employers should respect candidates’ time, job seekers should practice professional courtesy and communicate their decisions as well. It’s a 2-way process and being social animals we do have the ability to communicate with one another, don’t we.

Right Then, Solutions to Reduce Ghosting

Both employers and candidates can take steps to reduce ghosting and improve the hiring experience:

For Employers:

• The best way to move forward is automating the rejection email process. Even a generic response is better than silence. C’mon bring in AI for this matter if you get all emotional when saying “no” and prefer to say nothing at all.  

• Moreover, it’s best to set some clear communication expectations. Let the candidates knowing about the hiring timelines along with the response times.

• And most importantly always provide constructive feedback via a short email listing down rejection reasons. It can really help candidates work on their shortcomings and improve.

For Candidates:

• Be sure to promptly respond and inform the recruiter that you’re no longer interested in their offer. No need to take someone else’s revenge here.  

• Be as much transparent as possible and communicate honestly about other offers you maybe exploring or any other concerns.

• Always show professionalism, so a polite decline can always leave the door open for any future opportunities at the same place.

Let’s Just End This Ghosting Cycle, Shall We?

It’s just a lose-lose situation. 

It creates uncertainty, damages reputations and most importantly wastes time. Both employers and job seekers should take responsibility for clear communication. A simple message, whether it’s a rejection, an update, or even a thank you, can make all the difference. 

Why not build a hiring culture that values professionalism and mutual respect.

Sadly, I don’t see it happening anytime soon. Because ghosting is just a new norm and perhaps it’s here to stay.