The hiring process takes time and money, both of which can be tight in small business budgets. When a candidate ghosts you at any stage, it can be demoralizing and expensive. Here are some ways to keep communication flowing to avoid being abandoned by quality prospects.
What Is Candidate Ghosting?
Ghosting refers to a scenario where a candidate who seemed interested in an open position stops responding to any communication. It may happen at any stage of the hiring process, and you may never know the reason. The best-case scenario is a dropout during initial scheduling, but some companies report new hires never showing up for the first day without any explanation. Ghosting forces you to backtrack and consider other candidates who may no longer be available, which can be frustrating and costly.
Why Are Candidates Ghosting Companies?
“Boiled down,” says Roy Maurer of SHRM, “the cause of candidate ghosting is a failure to communicate.”
While your company may be busy with other tasks during the hiring process, job searchers are focused on finding a job. They can and will compare their experience from one company to the next. What may feel like a quick turnaround to you may feel like long gaps to the candidates. A company that updates candidates at each step of the process may earn their trust in a way that prevents ghosting on your end.
Job searching is time-consuming and stressful. According to a survey conducted by Robert Half International, candidates cited the top three reasons for ghosting a company:
- The interview process was poor: 33%
- They received another job offer: 29%
- The job was not what they expected: 23%
Though you can’t control every candidate’s experience at every step, you can scrutinize your process to discover where there might be breakdowns in communication.
Interview Process
- How long does it take for your company to schedule a promised interview?
- How long do candidates wait between first and second interviews?
- Is the scheduling process simple and intuitive, or does it require multiple emails or phone calls?
Candidate Received Another Offer
- Is there ever confusion about where a candidate stands after interviews?
- Are they waiting on you to make an official offer?
- Is your company’s offer process confusing?
The Job Was Not What They Expected
- Did you communicate salary or benefits poorly, or make a last-minute salary adjustment?
- Was there confusion about remote or in-person status? Work hours or schedules?
- Did the candidate misunderstand some of their required tasks and responsibilities?
- Did you deliberately withhold vital information until late in the process?
Thoughtful analysis of your company policies and practices may yield some answers about why candidates have ghosted you. Consider surveying recent successful hires to identify where you can improve your hiring process. Use their candid responses to improve the experience for future job candidates.
How Automated Solutions Can Help with Candidate Ghosting
Roy Maurer at SHRM suggests that you “treat your potential hires as VIPs. Consistently engage with them, keep them informed about their job applications, and most importantly, make them feel valued.” If you can’t imagine where you will find the hours in the day to increase your candidate communication, consider how an ATS like ApplicantStack can help.
To start, ApplicantStack provides a well-organized framework for each member of the hiring team. Candidates and their positions in the hiring process appear at a glance, along with pending tasks and who needs to complete them. You can see which candidates haven’t responded to pending steps and send a gentle nudge, all from within the ATS so the steps are instantly recorded on the candidate’s record.
Automated responses can keep candidates informed about their place in the process, and they’re especially helpful when you provide timelines for upcoming steps. A message that says, “HR is reviewing your application. You can expect a response within three days,” followed by a message that meets the deadline instills confidence that your company prioritizes communication. Timelines help candidates plan and organize their job search. They are likely to prioritize communication with a company that meets deadlines and lets them know whether they’re moving forward or no longer being considered.
ApplicantStack lets candidates choose their preferred communication method, so someone who prefers text messages won’t miss emails or phone calls. Your company can respond within the ATS, so you always have a record of what’s been sent and when.
Small business employees wear many hats, and it can be difficult to prioritize communication with every applicant when so many other tasks demand your attention. With the aid of an ATS, you can develop good relationships with quality job seekers and avoid candidate ghosting.
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