Job Ghosting: How to Avoid Being Ghosted by Your Candidates?

The pandemic has created a huge skills gap and has given rise to unemployment. This has left qualified candidates to control their paycheck and choose wherever they want to work. However, this has also given birth to a new problem – job ghosting!

What is Job Ghosting?

Have you found the perfect candidate for your job opening but never heard from them again? They seem genuinely excited about their new job and responsibilities but drop off without explaining anything. This disappearing act is a huge turnoff, and you would be surprised to know that it is quite common in the job market! The act of not showing up in the workplace context is known as job ghosting. This common phenomenon has been troubling companies to a great extent. It comes in two varieties: one where the employer ghosts the candidate after showing them that they are the one, and two where the candidate doesn’t show up for an interview, post accepting an offer, or after one day of work. Today, we will talk about the latter type, called candidate ghosting.

What are the Reasons Behind Candidates Ghosting Recruiters?

There are several reasons why you are being ghosted by your candidates after a successful call. Here are some of them:

1. Lack of Hiring Structure

   Structured recruitment is necessary for every organization to bag top talents. You should implement this in every branch and department. A job opening should be planned minutely, hiring members should be appointed, and a time should be set for interviews. There should be enough communication between the hiring team members. They should be on the same page with requirements and salary, and should confirm their availability before deciding an interview timing. An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) will make this process easier for everyone. You can plan and get started by working on it easily.

2. Take Too Long to Respond

   Most top talents get recruited within ten days of being in the market. Therefore, you need to be quick in responding to your applicants after they apply. Engage with them and grab their attention by scheduling an interview as soon as possible. Every candidate applies for several job openings at a time, so you need to grab the opportunity and reply to them quickly! Getting a hiring manager to conduct the initial telephonic call is good. This gives the candidate an idea that their time is not being wasted. Here is where an ATS comes in handy. It can filter out the best applicant for you and won’t leave the top ones waiting!

3. Disorganized Interview Process

   Today, no one has the patience to wait till you select the best candidates. You need to start contacting the best matches right away and set interviews as soon as you get a grab of them! Set a well-structured interview process. Tell them how many rounds of interview they willgo through, how many assessments will take place, and what interview stage will have what processes. This will help them schedule everything in advance!

4. Unrealistic Job Description

   Realism is the way to get anything done! Structuring a proper job description is the first step to a successful hiring process. Your job description should be a realistic guide on what the job role consists of, what the working environment will be like, and what the job applicant should expect. Misleading job titles and roles are a turnoff for the candidates. If they don’t find the job description matching their expectations, they will not work with you. Hence, be concise and clear about everything the job will demand from the applicant.

5. Conducting Automation in the Wrong Manner

   While automation is the new trend that makes your life easier, it can cost you a great employee if it is used in the wrong manner. We agree automation makes communication easier, but that doesn’t mean you automate every type of communication during the interview processes. After all, the candidate is a human, and they need a human to talk to! We recommend humanizing your interview process by sprinkling curiosity, interest, and empathy. Be respectful of the cultural diversity and thank the candidate post-interviews.

6. No Employer Branding

   Every company has a set culture, vision, and value that makes them unique. It needs to be reflected in your job descriptions. Employer brand and company brand should align. It is necessary because applicants will research your company before applying and after getting your response. Hence, your online presence should speak what your company truly follows!

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How to Prevent Candidate Ghosting?

There might be several reasons why a candidate ghosts an employer. Similarly, there are many ways you can prevent this from happening.

1. Mention Employee Experience

   There’s no point in having a well-curated job description if you don’t mention the required employee experience. You increase your chances of grabbing the best player on the field when you do this! It’s disappointing for the candidate to go through the entire process of submitting applications only to realize it doesn’t fall inside their experience level.

2. Always Over-communicate

   Being in touch with the applicant throughout the hiring process is necessary. You should keep them updated on their application status – whether they are hired or rejected, and timely schedule interviews.

3. Don’t Delay Decisions

   An average hiring process should take about 42 days.Many candidates who apply to multiple organizations find this time span too much. Hence, it is necessary to make quick decisions. An ATS like Jobsoid can help in streamlining this process.

4. Discuss Salary Expectations Beforehand

   For many candidates, salary is a factor that needs clarification before moving forward. If they find the salary way lower than their expectation bar, they will opt out of the opportunity. Hence, you need to be clear of this from the start, in the first telephonic conversation itself.

5. Take Interviews Respectfully

   How the interviewer conducts the interview tells a lot about the company. If you don’t give the candidates a good impression, they wouldn’t want to work with you. Ask questions, be it tough or easy, but also be considerate enough to give the candidate time to answer them.

6. Be in Touch With New Hires

   Many organizations have seen a no-show on the first day. A lot of the time, first-day jitters can cause a no-show up at the workplace. Or it can also be because their current employer may tell them to stay. This can be inconvenient for you and the people who were a part of the hiring process. You can avoid these cold feet situations if you keep in contact with your newly hired employee. Ease them through the initial process.

Conclusion

Giving your candidate a good experience decreases the chances of them ghosting you. Moreover, it also leaves a great impression. Follow these steps mentioned above and watch your candidate leave the place happily after an interview!