A candidate has reached the second round of interviews. They prepared ahead of time, asked insightful questions, and really connected with the hiring manager and the company. They’re confident they’re going to get a job offer. But weeks go by, and they haven’t received a single phone call or email to explain what’s happened.
When we talk about ghosting in the professional world, most of the time, the conversation is focused on job candidates ghosting employers. But employers ghosting candidates has become an increasingly common practice.
Below, we go over what ghosting is and why it ultimately hurts your business.
What Is Ghosting?
Ghosting is when an applicant has had some level of interaction with employers, and then suddenly, they never hear from the business again. The candidate may call or send a follow-up email that goes unanswered. In a nutshell, the company is ignoring the candidate.
How Common Is Ghosting?
Employer ghosting has been on the rise. Seventy-seven percent of job candidates have been ghosted by a hiring company during the pandemic. In addition, 10% of job candidates have been ghosted after receiving a job offer.
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Why Ghosting Is Bad for Business
Just because it has become more common doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do. Ghosting a candidate not only negatively affects their well-being but can also hurt your business. Here are a few reasons why ghosting a candidate isn’t a good business practice.
You’ll Burn Professional Bridges
Just because the candidate wasn’t right for that particular job doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be the most qualified candidate for another position. However, if you’ve ignored their follow-up communications after an interview, you’re not likely to get a favorable response when you reach out to them about another job.
It Limits Referrals
Employee referrals are a powerful tool for finding candidates to fill open roles. However, your referrals could dry up if you’ve ghosted someone after they’ve been referred to your company.
After all, your employees are putting their professional reputations on the line. They’re not going to keep referring people in their professional network to you if you’re going to ignore them after the interview. This could make finding people to fill jobs much more difficult.
It Affects Your Reputation
As Stacey Abrams once said, “companies don’t exist in a vacuum.” Everything you do these days is part of employer branding and reputation management. Word-of-mouth is powerful, especially in our increasingly connected online world. If your company is ghosting people after interviews or receiving a job offer, word will get around, potentially impacting your future applicant pool.
Make an Effort to Contact Candidates
Telling someone they didn’t get the job is never easy. But it’s important to let the candidate know where they stand in the hiring process. Whether it’s with a phone call or an automated email, reach out to give the candidate closure.
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