Lets NOT have Halloween Year-round!

Anyone else agree that ghosts should only come out for Halloween?!

Ghosting has left the small world of high school relationships and is becoming an increasing problem in the professional setting. From a recruiting standpoint, both the recruiter and candidate can attest that the problem is two-sided. As the ease of communicating has increased - whether via email or direct messaging - people’s ability to respond seems to have decreased.

Let’s take a quick peek at both ends of the “recruiting ghost.”

Recruiters

It’s hard work to finally make contact with a promising candidate only to find that after an initial phone conversation, they stop responding to your messages. You’re sure that they must be fine, but you find yourself hoping that some emergency came up and they’ll be back in touch tomorrow.  

Candidates

You just got done interviewing with your dream company and you’re on top of the world. The recruiter said that you should hear back regarding next steps in a week or two. Week one passes… then week two… and you’ve still heard nothing. Should you send the recruiter a message? Maybe follow up with the hiring manager?

Simple Solutions

These scenarios are relatable and frustrating! Here are some simple tips that can keep the ghosting at bay.

Recruiters: when you give clear timelines, make sure you stick to them! If anything changes, make sure to notify the candidate. Most candidates would agree that getting a rejection call or email is better than getting nothing at all. 

Candidates: a quick reply goes a long way. Don’t feel bad about saying you’re “not interested” or are headed in a different direction. Closure is a lot better than nothing. 

If both sides made simple efforts to communicate, recruiters and candidates alike could keep the ghosts at bay. Let’s bring professionalism back in the workplace! 🙂