The term “ghosting” recently found its way into the cultural lexicon to describe the awkward and sudden termination of a personal relationship, by cutting off all communication and contact with someone. The term ghosting may be relatively novel, but in recruitment, this story is as old as The Canterville Ghost.
Although, the relationship between recruiters and candidates is less personal (hey, maybe we did find each other via the apps), it is still a relationship. We go through a similar process; a discovery phase, a building phase and then finally, if it clicks, a commitment phase. And, similarly, ghosting has become a very real thing for us.
Candidate ghosting can happen at any stage of the process – after a job interview, during negotiations, or even post-offer. Hiring managers are often left asking, what happened? And while there may be some learning opportunities to uncover, a candidate may Casper for various reasons:
They Found a Better Match
Like the dating game, the job market has changed. So, the playing field has opened right up. The reality is, candidates may be courting a few opportunities at once, and accept another job offer while still in the process with you. Instead of formally declining your role they may instead, disappear into the ether, without so much as a peep.
The best way to see through this is to gauge the candidate’s job seeking activities during the interview process. By simply asking ‘Are you at offer stage with anybody else’ or ‘Is there another role you’re currently pursuing,’ you open up a dialogue about the candidate’s preferences and where you sit in the list.
They Are Letting You Down Easy
Or they think they are. If they’re turning down the role, there may be reasons that they don’t want to reveal or discuss. It could be a feeling about the company or culture during the interview process, or something gave them the ick. Rather than give the real reasons, they may simply decide to let silence do the talking.
In this case, it could be hard to avoid. This is a good opportunity to probe further and get some feedback, if you can during the rejection conversation. This could help you to identify any holes in your process, whether your EVP is strong enough or any other factors that may haunt you in future.
They Are Ready to Commit, But You’re Not
Job seekers are on the market. They are looking to lock down. If a potential opportunity is playing coy or taking a while to make it official, candidates can become frustrated. Long, drawn-out, will-they-won’t-they recruitment processes can turn people off. If they only hear from you enough to keep them on a string, or get tired of the chase, chances are they will pull a Phantom.
Data from our latest IT Workforce Insights Report indicates that 31% of job seekers will walk, if the process takes too long.
They Are a Player
These ones. We all know them. They’re eager. They turn on all the charm. You tell everyone you may have met The One. But you see, there is no One. Just many balls in the air. And we all know that you can only juggle for so long, before one just drops and rolls away. If they’re having too much fun, they may not even notice.
These candidates like to know that someone always wants them. To avoid feeling the sting of rejection, ask them many questions about their expectations and intentions regarding salary expectations, perks, culture requirements. It may take more effort to keep up the ruse than they’re willing to invest. If they are playing the field, you’ll soon know.
They Just Aren’t That Into You
Finally, it really can be as simple as the chemistry wasn’t there. Even if the boxes were ticked and it looks like it should work on paper, they are looking for something with a little more spark.
I know, I know, there were signs. They responded to your ad immediately, they interviewed well, they may have even signed the paperwork. Maybe they’re not really ready to move on from their current employer. Or perhaps you were just a bit of a rebound and they bounced back to their old job with a pretty attractive counter-offer. Rather than having to give the ‘it’s not you it’s me’ speech, the candidate may prefer to just smoke bomb and let what could have been linger between you like mist.
So how do you keep the allure from fading? Simply, like with any relationship, communication is key. Leave a candle burning. Keep them warm. Stay in touch, even if just to gently remind them of all you can offer. Don’t turn it up too much. We said warm, not burnt. If it still doesn’t work out and they disappear like fairy floss in the rain, take sweet comfort in knowing that it’s cost you a lot less than finding out they aren’t a match 6 or 12 months into their employment.
As recruiters, we understand that matching people to roles is nuanced. There are many factors that need to be considered. It is our job to have those candid conversations and only place people into roles that are a genuine fit. And just like ghosts, we need to be transparent.
