How do you prevent ghosting and counteroffers in recruiting?

The speed at which you do this is key. Waiting 3-4 weeks after an application is too long. Most job seekers take the first offer they receive, so tightening outreach to within 48 hours of an application is crucial for reducing candidate drop-off rates.

Communication is always the cure-all. This can be consistent communication throughout the process, or it can be minimal communication but a very clear setting of expectations upfront. As a recruiter, I set expectations upfront. I cannot communicate with all candidates daily. However, I let them know what to expect, and I let them know they will always receive updates from me right away. In the up-front conversation, we also discuss what they already have active and what their timeline is. This information should be enough to avoid ghosting or any unexpected acceptance of an offer. Kindly ask the candidates to keep you updated in the same way you'll keep them updated. This has worked for me over my career.

The work is building a relationship of trust--If you are not trusted, they will respond to someone they trust more than you. Speak with the knowledge you know what you're talking about. Speak confidently from experience. Connect with someone as a person. Care about them. There are no guarantees that you will connect with someone and they will follow through on a decision to join a new firm. If a job is not better than the one someone is leaving, if a firm's behavior has not demonstrated they care about the people who work for them or if there was a tough negotiation, they will stay & should. However, assuming normalcy, the most important thing you can do is show you care, connect, create chemistry with them and the team, they'll join.

My son recently went through the process of interviewing for a new position. He really saw some big differences in the amount of energy and time shown to him by recruiters. One interview he had lasted only a few minutes and left him feeling undervalued. He was extended an offer but didn't feel any connection to the company and declined the offer. It can be easy as a recruiter to rush through a phone screen. We have reviewed the resume, we see the education and certifications and feel we already have most of the information we need to share with hiring managers so we rush. But, it is important to remember that we are selling our company, our team and our position to the candidate as much as that person is selling him or herself to us.

Show genuine interest in their career goals, listen to their concerns, and communicate clearly throughout the process. Keeping candidates engaged and feeling valued reduces the likelihood of them disappearing or accepting other offers. By prioritising relationships and open communication, recruiters can overcome these hurdles and achieve successful hiring outcomes.

This is true. Candidates will be more likely to stick with you if you have what they want, right in the moment. This is different for every candidate, as some candidates are more open and some are more specific. It is easy to be too caught up in active client requisitions to seek open positions for candidates with unsigned clients while trying to fill open positions. Going back to communication, just express this to the new candidate and what they can expect.

Latest trends reflect that applicants are more attracted to job postings that are gender-neutral but inclusive. A good place to start is by recognizing that the employee value proposition must align with their needs – including needs that may differ from those of older generations. The next step would be review what your organization offers against internal data such as feedback collected through surveys. As an example, studies indicate that Gen Z and Millenials value flexibility so if you offer hybrid work module, flex schedule, or flexible benefit package; convening this in your job posting will appeal to a wider portion of the worker population.

I think it is important to hiring managers to be prepared with the information listed above before the interview. Consider it like an elevator speech. Ask yourself why you stay in your company, why you like your job and what satisfaction you draw from the position. You can also include thoughts on how your team is growing and on initiatives you anticipate down the road that might excite your candidate.

It’s also important to really take the time to identify and understand what’s important to a candidate about their next opportunity. Don’t just assume it’s more money or a more desirable title. There is always a reason that a candidate is looking to transition, and the sooner you identify what that is, the better chance you have of framing your opportunity in a way that appeals to the pain point or aspiration that is driving that candidate to seek additional opportunities. They are much more likely to remain engaged in the process if you are able to connect what you have to offer with what they are actually looking for.

Including compensation in the job postings is the TOP request from candidates when it comes to improving their candidate experience. leading with transparency can save both parties a ton of time later in the process.

Easy way to avoid this - Ask the candidate in the first conversation exactly what they're looking for. Once they list a number of things, repeat them back to the candidate, and ask "If I had an opportunity that was exactly what you're looking for an includes *list what they've said*, you are prepared to accept an offer today?" The answer should be a yes, and then at the end of the process that is what you shoot for, and should you get it, there should be no objections. If the candidate says no to accepting their dream job when you phrase it this way, then they may not be ready to make a change and are subject to reject anything that is produced.

This is Jack-in-the-Box work and is really the final straw for most recruiters, both corporate or third-party. It is indicative of missing signals or not asking questions that would have someone reveal what they were thinking based upon what they say or don't say, tone of voice or lack of enthusiasm . . .People give cures to their thinking that recruiters pretend not to notice until it is too late and they are fighting upstream battles.

In my experience it is important to ask all of those "deal breaker" questions right away (and provide as much information as possible on the job postings). Deal breakers are things that will end your conversation with a candidate if they aren't a match like salary, work location and hours. Once those are agreed upon, the rest can be discussed and negotiated throughout the process.

Many years ago, we could "drag our feet" on extending an offer but things are different now. I work in healthcare and I know if I don't get a commitment from a nurse quickly, that nurse will have another recruiter calling or emailing likely the same day. We have to move quickly and make those offers as soon as we know we have a strong candidate who fits the job.

One of the top requests from job seekers is an automated application receipt with detailed next steps. If you won't be reviewing applicants until the following week, let applicants know when they can expect to hear from you and what the next steps look like if they're selected. This keeps everyone on the same page and can spare your inbox of FAQs.

It isn't always what they say but what they DON'T Do. They don't return calls. They don't return the paperwork after they receive the offer. Most people avoid the conversation, procrastinating until they either feel they have no alternative than to ghost, accept a counteroffer or send a text or email. If you don't stay in contact and (metaphorically) hold their hand and walk them in the door on their first day, you will lose them to their employer who is whispering in their ear how important they are to the firm and promising to change.

Find ways to add value to your candidates once they are in your network. This doesn't have to be constant checking in about what they are up to and where you're at in the search on their behalf. For example, send out weekly newsletters and tips for interviewing. Create a free course to help candidates with interviewing and job searching. Give value away to your candidates in an automated fashion and they'll be much more likely to respond and stay in touch with you.

A couple of key things that come to mind: - Listen to your candidates, but be curious too: your candidate 'qualification calls' need to be thorough. Ask questions such as 'What are your core motivations?', but listen carefully, if the answer is too vague maybe they're only telling you what you want to hear or didn't really think about it properly, dig deeper, be curious, and be consultative. - Never assume: It is one of the most important aspects of effective candidate management, and I think still one of the most common mistakes being made. Humans aren't physical products, we can change our minds and therefore circumstances change, be sure to always ask the question.

Few things are more concerning than not hearing from your new employer after you accept an offer of employment. You may begin to wonder if you really have the job or if you were supposed to do something that you missed. I have found that an easy way to prevent this angst for your new hires is to provide them with clear communication. In our company we have created facility profile sheets that give the new hire information regarding parking, directions and even what to wear (we are in healthcare so the color of scrubs varies). It is also important to provide a person who serves as a point of contact. A warm, friendly person who has all the answers is the reassurance they need to feel welcome with your organization.

Many employers focus on gathering feedback from new hires. The most candid feedback on how to improve your candidate experience will come directly from those who drop off. Rather than automating prompts to complete their application, consider calling out that you dropped the ball and invite their feedback on how you can improve. This receptiveness to feedback speaks volumes of your company culture and may even spark them to finish their application!

My advice for the two points. - Preventing ghosting: Building rapport quickly is a skill. You should have an honest relationship with the candidate where they feel they can talk to you. Most of the time when a candidate ghosts you it is because they don't want to let you down or tell you they're not interested in a role anymore. Also discuss upfront your expectations and best forms of communication. Counteroffers - you can't prevent counteroffers, but you can plan for them. Understanding the candidate's motivation in looking for their next job is key. If it is money or title driven, then a counteroffer could well be accepted. You can also play the scenario out with them, and ask what their thoughts would be if it happened.

In my experience, ghosting and counter-offers are both symptoms of a poor fit...it just hasn't surfaced until too late in the process. With great, early communication and clear expectations we can avoid the ghosting and counter-offer situation by removing those people earlier in the process (which is a better experience for them) and focussing instead on identifying and reaching those people who will be suited to the role, salary and organisation. Sure, we need to sell the opportunity, but we mustn't be afraid of losing an applicant. It might make the recruiter's job tougher in the first instance, more calls, more searching, but we want to hire the right person, someone who is excited about the job, and can flourish in that environment.

We all know that companies ghosting candidates is bad on a human level, but so many companies don't seem to understand that ghosting is super harmful to their own employer brand. Word gets around, and this does real damage to your external talent pipeline, as well as your internal culture. Oh, and say "buh-bye" to referrals. Communicate with candidates in a clear and timely manner, full stop!

Candidates have been ghosting since the dawn of time. So have companies. In the best light, I honestly believe that if a candidate ghosts well into the process, it's because they are embarrassed the process went so far and are uncomfortable letting people down. Conflict, negotiation, and navigating uncertainty are learned skills. Even at a high level, not everyone is good with discomfort. Humans do silly things under stress. A good recruiter is a guide and translator for the candidate and the client or end user. At its best, it's a high-touch role with a clear structure, communication, and a dash of coaching/counseling. It takes time to build those relationships and neutrally help each side through the process. That's the job.

I have been ghosted as a candidate during the final stage (they were showing me the office!). Ghosting can happen for so many reasons, we can ruminate about it for hours and days. It is important to know that ghosting is not personal. Also, controlling what we can control and letting go of what we cannot is a #1 skill in a job search/hiring equation.