3 Ways to Prevent Candidate Ghosting When Hiring
Picture this: you’ve spent hours poring over resumes and conducting interviews and finally, you’ve found the perfect candidate for the job. You’re about to make the offer, but no one picks up the phone. So you leave a voicemail. And call again the next day. And send an email to check in. And you wait. And wait. No return calls, no emails, no explanation— they’ve ghosted you. Your ideal candidate has disappeared without a trace, leaving you with an unfilled position and a whole lot of questions.
Candidate ghosting, where job seekers disappear during the hiring process for seemingly no reason, has become a major concern for employers. If you’ve experienced this phenomenon, you’re not alone. In fact, 57% of business leaders say ghosting is becoming more common than ever before.
Being ghosted not only wastes valuable time and resources, but also poses a significant challenge for hiring managers and recruiters. Even if a candidate has willingly gone through multiple stages of the hiring process, how can you truly know if they’re interested in the position? Read on as we dive into three ways your hiring team can prevent candidates from ghosting your business.
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Main Reasons for Candidate Ghosting
The candidate lost interest after learning more about the role or company. The candidate may have simply not wanted to move forward with the job or company after chatting with the hiring manager or a recruiter.
The candidate took another job. They may have decided to take a more attractive or better-timed job offer (you’ve heard “it’s not you, it’s me” before).
The hiring process was too long and complicated. The hiring process may have taken too long or was confusing for the candidate.
Strategies For Preventing Candidate Ghosting
1. Improve Candidate Communication
51% of candidate frustration when job searching is caused by poor communication. The more you leave candidates guessing, the higher the chance for ghosting—which is completely fair. After all, why would someone stay engaged when you’ve essentially shown them you’re not interested in helping them move forward in the hiring process? To improve the way you communicate with candidates, use this checklist.
- Make sure you’re clearly outlining job requirements, responsibilities, and expectations to candidates, verbally and in any written materials.
- Respond promptly to candidate inquiries and provide timely updates, especially on the off chance there are delays or changes in the timeline.
- Provide regular and timely updates to candidates on the status of their application. As soon as you have significant information for them, share it.
- Personalize your interactions by using the candidate’s name and other relevant details to build a relationship and increase their engagement.
- Be transparent about the hiring process, timeline, and expectations to reduce uncertainty for candidates and increase their trust in your company.
- Encourage two-way communication and provide opportunities for candidates to ask questions and express concerns—and respond to those inquiries promptly.
2. Streamline Your Hiring Process
Setting a clear and realistic hiring timeline reduces uncertainty, ultimately lessening the chances of candidate ghosting. By reducing the wait time between steps or being transparent about why certain steps may take longer than others, you’ll reduce the risk of candidates losing interest or becoming disengaged.
A smooth and efficient process will improve the candidate’s overall experience, making them more likely to stay engaged and see things through to the end. Not to mention, streamlining your process saves your team valuable time and resources, helping you nail down top talent faster.
3. Verify Your Applicant Tracking System is Up to Snuff
Utilizing the latest in applicant tracking system (ATS) technology not only improves communication and organizes your processes, but it also helps you stay proactive on the candidate ghosting front.
Predictive analysis tools within your ATS help you narrow in on candidate behavior trends. You can track and monitor engagement levels, like the frequency of email and call responses, allowing you to identify high-risk candidates who are more likely to vanish into thin air.
Every month (or whatever frequency makes sense for your team), generate reports on candidate engagement, hiring progress, and other key metrics relevant to your organization to continuously monitor ghosting.
Advanced applicant tracking systems also strengthen both your communication skills and process efficiency. Use automated, customized email and text messages to keep candidates informed and engaged throughout the hiring process and to show your team is interested and invested in the candidate’s success.
You can also free your recruitment team from repetitive tasks like status updates, scheduling interviews, extending offers, and managing candidate questions and feedback. Also, workflow automations like these aid in standardizing the various messaging being sent to external audiences, ensuring every candidate is receiving on-brand information.
Fix Your Process, Fix the Problem
Especially in a hiring landscape where candidates hold a large portion of power and decision-making control, being proactive about ghosting is crucial for any organization looking to attract and retain top talent. Providing a positive candidate experience directly impacts whether or not job seekers are willing to engage in your hiring process, refer others, and become an ambassador for your company.
By implementing the right strategies and taking the time to understand candidate needs, you can successfully combat ghosting and build an engaged workforce. And with the help of a staffing partner like iSphere, we’ll help you increase the efficiency of your hiring process and build strong relationships with the jobseekers you want on your team.Need help figuring out which candidates are worth your time? Get in touch with iSphere’s hiring experts today, and we’ll find the professionals you need to keep your business moving forward.
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