Top 3 Reasons Why Recruiters are Ghosting You

Why Recruiters Ghost Candidates

“Ghosting” is a form of emotional abuse that occurs when someone who has been invested in another party and the other involved person abruptly ends communication.

This behavior can happen to job seekers as well, but we are going to focus on how ghosting affects the hiring and interview process. The ghosting phenomenon is an act of abandonment that can be detrimental to your employer brand and career.

Ghosting in the hiring and interview process may happen for a variety of reasons, but it's most likely due to the candidate not being a good fit for the company or not having enough experience in their desired field.

The recruiter ghosting is a way of saying "no" without actually saying it. It can be frustrating for the candidate but it's also logical that recruiters don't want to waste their time with people who do not meet their standards.

Lastly, the employer may have been interviewing candidates for a non-existent role. The hiring manager may be looking to solve an immediate, one-time issue and uses interviews as a way to get advice or free consultation services.

 

How to Prevent It

Before you decide that you are being ghosted, it is important to determine why you think this is happening and what you can do to prevent it from happening again. One of the best ways to avoid this is by being upfront about your needs and expectations when talking with recruiters.

Begin uncovering “red flags” early and find out if the company is the right fit for you. Interviews are one of the most important parts of the hiring and interview process. In an interview, candidates get to know the company culture and ask questions to uncover any red flags.

Here are a few questions that you can ask employers to find out if it is a good fit for you:

•  How soon do you foresee a candidate starting for this role?
• What are some of the current projects I would begin working on?
• What is your favorite part about the hiring and interview process?
• How does my background compare to other candidates you’re interviewing?
• Reflecting on your own experience, what have you seen the company do to promote diversity and inclusion?
• Could I meet some of the people I’d be working with?

Make sure you and the interviewer are clear about next steps. Have they said they will contact you? Did you confirm their email address and phone number?

 

The Disadvantages of Ghosting Potential Employees

Ghosting after the interview is a common practice among employers who don't want to call back their potential employees. It's not only rude and unethical, but it also leaves the candidate in the dark about what they should do next.

Recruiters have a responsibility to the employer, candidate, and society. They should make sure that they are doing their jobs ethically and in the best interests of all parties involved. The main disadvantage of ghosting after the interview is that it can leave an applicant feeling like they were not given a fair chance. Ghosting also leaves the company vulnerable to lawsuits, since they are not following up with the candidate. Employers should be careful to avoid this practice, as it can cause them legal and marketing problems down the road.

In today's competitive job market, companies are struggling to find talented employees and candidates are struggling to find jobs with good salaries and benefits. This trend of recruiter-candidate ghosting is only going to worsen as more and more people enter the workforce.

The interview process is a two-way street. If you're not interested in the candidate, you should be upfront about it and let them know that you have found someone better for the position.

 

How to Recover from Being Ghosted by a Recruiter

The best way to deal with recruiters who are ghosting after the interview is to send them one last message thanking them for their time and interest in your skillset.

If you’ve ever been ghosted by a recruiter, you know how it feels to be left in limbo and wondering what happened. Being ghosted by a recruiter is not something that should be taken lightly and can leave you feeling anxious and confused about your future prospects.

•  Don't take it personally. It's not about you, it's about them.
•  Be persistent and don't give up after one or two attempts at contacting the recruiter. They may have been busy or were unable to respond for other reasons. You can use a tool like mailtrack.io to see if the interviewer has been opening your emails.
•  Ask the recruiter what they thought of your resume and qualifications in order to understand their perspective on why they didn't follow up with you. This will help you better understand what they're looking for in the future if they contact you again.
•  Document it. Whether as a warning for other candidates on Glassdoor or within your email contacts – create notes throughout your job search.

Want to get direct coaching on how to get in touch with employers and avoid being ghosted? Sign up for our coaching program here: Job Search Coaching.