What can you do when recruiters or employers ghost you?

Evaluate the experience, ponder on it, and leverage it as a reference for upcoming interviews with different employers. Consider it a chance to avoid a potentially unfavorable work environment. This encounter might serve as an indication of how employees are genuinely treated. Reflect on whether you would want to be associated with a company/organization where the business owner, recruiter, or HR manager lacks the courtesy to respond to you as a candidate. Is there a prevailing culture of this nature within their workplace? Appreciate those who show respect for you and your time as a professional and avoid professional settings with poor communication and professionalism.

Communication is very very important whether not selected,the position has been put on hold or whatever reason it is. Let the candidates know; that's being professional. Sometimes it's not easy but as a recruiter you find the best way to reach out.

If you've ever had a facepalm moment about someone you'd meant to email before you laid out on the pool deck on vacation -- you'll see that ghosting just happens, sometimes. Try not to take it personally and keep moving forward. If you think about it, we rarely make a quick decision when we've got to evaluate more than 5 options of anything -- recruiters often have dozens of people they're looking at to fill one role (and they're likely working on multiple roles at a time). So while ghosting is never fun, sometimes it just happens and it's best to keep a few irons in the fire to lessen the sting if it does. Just politely follow up and keep checking in every few weeks.

It’s very hard to not to take it personally when the employer’s action actually sets you back. I was offered a position and encouraged to let my family know. It was all very exciting. My salary was agreed upon. I received a phone call confirming everything. We had a tentative start date. I was emailed proprietary software. And then nothing. No response to my inquiry as to what was next. So it wasn’t just the recruiting process. And by stringing me along it set me backward in my career since I was turning down other opportunities because of this offer which I was assured was a done deal. So yes, I take it personally.

Always put your best foot forward in any scenario because this keeps your professionalism consistent. Temper your expectations and recognize that there might be more going on behind the scenes. If their timeline in responding back to you does not meet your professional expectations, then move on. I find closure and peace of mind by acknowledging and closing the loop on the experience. Simply follow up, explain that a reasonable amount of time has passed, and that without a response, YOU are no longer interested in this opportunity. Whether that note is read or not, the reward is your dignity, respect and a valuable experience to bring to the next interview.

My follow up plan is effective BUT Number 5 may shock you. When you're following up with recruiters, make it a system so that you can keep track and take the emotion out of the long-time-between-responses. Try this: Each week, follow up with a message that includes: 1. Thank you 2. Excited about the role (and here's why) 3. Something you said that made me think was (what it was) 4. Either thank them for that and offer them something (resource, connection, help in any way) OR ask a follow up question about that thing they made you think about 5. Give them an out 6. Thank them again Wait, did you just say "give them an out?" Yep. People are MUCH more likely to respond to your communication when you take the pressure off.

Be vibrant, get excited, and play with the idea that there might just be a bit of hope for the job you interviewed for. Daydream about the possibilities. However, avoid consolidating all your hopes and dreams into a single venture, even if the process has been or is arduous. My advice? Play the law of averages. Reach out to your professional network via LinkedIn, acquaintances, and friends to see if they or anyone in their network has anything viable. While pursuing this route, focus on a handful of tactful options to apply for jobs every day. Keep an eye on your inbox and set up alerts to stay competitive. Over time, diversifying your approach will likely yield something promising.

If a recruiter ghosted you, did you learn from the experience? Were there other options to reach out to that person, and did you utilize them? Set your own professional expectations, and while they have a window to hire, you have a window to showcase yourself. Respect your value and time, learn, and move on. Keep a journal or spreadsheet with your job submissions and use this experience for the next. Pen a standard note that you can send to recruiters/organizations that showed interest but left you hanging. Closure brings solace during what could be a timid time. Welcome the acceptance, healing, peace of mind, clarity, and boundaries brought on by your learned experience on your professional journey.

Use the feedback of getting NO response to improve your next move. 3 things may need fixed: 1// Your Fit Your value isn't an obvious enough solution to the problem of the recruiter (placing you) and the company asking them to (company fit) **Fixable** 2// Your Visibility Recruiters are speaking with dozens of people per day -- give them some time to get back to you AND get visible with them by following up regularly with the method laid out earlier in this article. **Fixable** 3// They're Busy Ever hide when someone comes to your door to sell you something? You were likely busy and focused on other things (but you'd likely read their flyer should it be left behind.) Follow up, be patient, and keep moving to keep your spirits up.

Ghosted? Take care of yourself. There is light at the end of the tunnel. One of my favorite sayings: "Your value does not decrease based on someone else's inability to see your worth".