What is candidate ghosting? How can I prevent getting ghosted during a pandemic?

What is ghosting?

While the digital age has introduced a lot of improvements and benefits to mankind, it also comes with disadvantages such as “ghosting”; often a painful way of ending relationships, both personal as well as professional ones.

What is “ghosting”? It simply means that someone has stopped responding to all your communication and efforts to reach out and stay connected.

This sudden and unexpected disappearing act is not only happening on dating apps but also to candidates on the job hunt being ghosted by recruiters.

Why is “ghosting” happening and can you prevent ghosting?

UCC did some research and lists here the most common reason job candidates get ghosted:

·      A company simply changes focus and/or its priorities.

·      A position a company thought they needed to fill suddenly isn’t as important.

·      An influx of internal referrals. Recruiters are often told to prioritize referrals, so even if you had a great conversation on the phone or in person, the recruiter may be prioritizing an internal referral instead.

·      The recruiter you spoke to may be on vacation, have quit, or been made redundant.

·      A recruiter that may lack the essential people skills of successful recruiters.

What’s so frustrating is that all of the above-mentioned ghosting reasons are completely out of your control and/or might simply come down to bad timing.

How can you control or even prevent ghosting?

It is indeed possible that candidates trigger ghosting behaviour; below are some tips on how you can prevent ghosting:

• Stay the recruiter’s priority by performing equally well or preferable better during the follow-up. Sometimes, candidates can have a promising interview but completely fail with the follow-up without realising it.

• Show motivation, enthusiasm and initiative. Let the recruiter and hiring manager feel that you are passionate about the role; nothing is worse than candidates who are too passive in showing their interest in a role.

• Respond promptly to correspondence.

• Be thoughtful and specific in your follow up correspondence; continue to express your interest in the company and the role.

• Keep abreast and stay up to date related to trends in the industry; show the company that you can walk in and begin contributing immediately.

• And even if they tell you it’s not the right fit, at least you received a final answer and can move on.

• Stay connected through various channels such as email, LinkedIn but don’t bombard your counterpart; stay polite and professional.

• Network! Reach out to other recruiters at the company or even the hiring manager or other team members internally.

Looking for more NETWORKING tips? Download UCCs on demand networking 60min webinar with a special guest and UN expert .

Don’t miss UCC next blog on What to do if you’ve been ghosted by recruiters or hiring manager?