Minimizing the risk of candidate ghosting

What is worse than not being able to find suitable candidates for the role? Finding them and losing contact at some stage of the recruitment process!?

While sometimes this is unavoidable, there are ways to minimize the risk of this happening. Let’s explore the potential reasons behind candidate ghosting and strategies to deal with unresponsive candidates.

As frustrating as it can be, don’t lose your cool. There are many reasons this might be happening to you or the hiring manager. There are reasons that are impossible to prevent, like rapidly changing personal or professional circumstances that lead candidates to withdraw from the process without giving any explanation. Other reasons can include a poor candidate experience and lack of interest in the role or finding better opportunities in the meantime.

Candidate ghosting leaves everyone with unanswered questions, wasting valuable time and resources, and leading to frustration.?

Let’s focus on some possible ghosting reasons and things we can all improve to prevent it:

Fear of confrontation

Some candidates prefer to avoid confrontation and would rather ghost than deliver rejection news, fearing uncomfortable situations or burning bridges.

How to prevent it: We need to ensure that they feel that their decisions and preferences are valued and respected, and their needs are known and understood to prevent this from happening.

When following up, keep the tone professional and empathetic, understanding that circumstances may have changed.

Poor candidate experience

Negative experiences during the recruitment process, such as lengthy delays, lack of communication, or unprofessional behavior, can drive candidates to ghost organizations as a form of retaliation or frustration.

How to prevent it: Establishing clear and consistent communication with candidates throughout the process is the key. Regular updates, timely responses, and transparent expectations and timelines can help reduce the likelihood of ghosting. Remember to promptly address any concerns or questions candidates may have, if you don’t have a clear answer during the interview, make sure to deliver a more detailed one by dropping them a follow-up email.

Technology is your ally here. You can use your ATS to get automated reminders, status updates, and notifications to ensure regular communication with candidates and minimize the chances of ghosting.

Losing interest in the role

Candidates might simply not be interested in the position anymore after they found more about it.?

It’s essential to know the expectations, professional goals, and development plans of the candidates to be aware of what they really expect from their move.

Knowing if the candidate is involved in other processes gives you an understanding of their intentions and how interested they are in changing their job, especially if they are a passive candidate.

How to prevent it: Experiment with alternative communication channels like phone calls or text messages to increase the chances of reaching unresponsive candidates. If a candidate decides to withdraw from the process, encourage them to provide feedback and be understanding of their decision. Maintain a positive relationship to preserve the organization's reputation and potential future opportunities.

Learn from your experience.?

Regularly assess your recruitment process to identify areas that may contribute to candidate ghosting. Look for bottlenecks, delays, or communication gaps that could be improved to prevent ghosting occurrences.

Keeping all this in mind, remember that anything can happen. Don’t limit yourself to one candidate, keep in mind that even the most promising ones can withdraw from the process at some point.

Clear communication, a short and transparent recruitment process, and empathy are the keys to success. It will help prevent ghosting but also build positive relationships and improve the overall candidate experience.