Were you ever confident that you had the perfect candidate secured for the job, but they ghost you? Or maybe they don’t even show up on the first day of work?
Candidate ghosting is when a candidate suddenly disappears during or even after the hiring process without an explanation. This leaves recruiters and employers frustrated and wastes their time, hindering the hiring of potential top talent. But have you ever thought why candidates ghost?
There’s a better offer elsewhere
If a candidate is presented with a more attractive salary, benefits or career progression, they may prefer to pursue that offer and choose to ghost yours.
Avoiding the difficult conversation
It’s often easier for the candidate to quietly disappear rather than have the difficult conversation about why they chose to decline the offer. They may do this because they sense the company culture isn’t right or the interview process was awkward. As the employer, you must state and express your positive intentions from the beginning. You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Frustration with the hiring process
If candidates are not receiving timely updates or adequate communication from potential employers in a lengthy hiring process, they may become frustrated and disengaged as a result. This may make them feel undervalued or uncertain about their status, prompting them to pursue other offers.
Too many interviews accepted
Eager candidates accept many interview invitations. Candidates may progress better through certain hiring processes over others, so it makes it easy to ghost some employers to focus on better offers.
The impacts of candidate ghosting
Cost implications – candidate ghosting wastes an employer’s time and resources. When a candidate withdraws without notice, the hiring process is delayed, and the employer will have to spend more time and effort replacing them. As a result, more is spent on recruiting, onboarding and training.
Reputation management – if candidates have a negative hiring experience with the potential employer, they are more likely to express their concerns with their network through word-of-mouth or social media. This will negatively affect the employer’s reputation and company brand and may turn away qualified candidates from even considering the company.
Learning and improvement opportunity – Could it be a lengthy hiring process with unnecessary stages, or a lack of frequent communication causing candidates to ghost? Understanding why candidates ghost can provide a learning opportunity for employers to improve their hiring process.
How to minimise candidate ghosting
Communicate clearly and frequently
Instantly, from the moment a candidate applies, keep them informed about the recruitment process including the subsequent steps and timelines. Regular updates show respect for the candidate’s time and interest. Use automated emails for application status updates and automate repetitive tasks like screening and interview scheduling to streamline the process.
Make sure hiring steps are productive and time-efficient
After every interview round or skills assessment, evaluate whether these added value to the hiring process. Reduce the process to incorporate steps that provide necessary insights about the candidate. Potential candidates apply to numerous employers to increase their chances of landing a job, and this can be tiresome, so getting the essential insights through an effective hiring process can prevent such frustration.
Provide competitive benefits
Job seekers are attracted to good pay and benefits. Make sure your offer reflects the value you place on the candidate’s skills and experience. High quality candidates will likely accept offers with better compensation packages in a heartbeat. Regardless of the state of the job market, good quality candidates are always in short supply.
Underline your company culture and brand
How can you expect to stay motivated and committed in a company with a lifeless workplace with heads in computers all day? Candidates don’t just look at pay and benefits, they are attracted to strong company culture and whether they fit in. Showcase what your company is all about; through its core values and how these translate to the work environment and culture. What has your company achieved? How could the candidate add value? If candidates can connect with a strong brand, why would they ghost?
Get to know your candidates
It’s easy to get caught up in looking for a candidate just to fill an open position. Make it a priority to get to know your candidates beyond their resumes. What are their career aspirations, preferred working styles and personal interests? How does your company’s goals align with the candidate’s insight? Developing relationships is critical.
Ensure your interviews are positive and friendly
Candidates are often anxious leading up to interviews with prospective employers due to fear of the unknown. Ensure your interviews are organised and engaging, and ultimately respectful of the candidate. Prepare thoughtful questions and additionally allow candidates to ask their own questions. If the candidate isn’t asking questions, then they have either lost interest or feel daunted. Further, provide timely feedback after interviews, as this shows that you respect their time and effort.
Learn from the past
If you notice a candidate ghosting trend, it may be a good idea to review your hiring process. Where have candidates dropped-out, and is there a common theme? Identify these instances and make changes to address these shortcomings. Work on how you can continuously enhance the candidate experience.
References:
https://elmosoftware.com.au/resources/blog/what-is-candidate-ghosting-and-how-to-avoid-it
