As you try to fill your hiring needs this fall, there may be more than one kind of “boo” in the picture.

It’s not just a Halloween trick. Ghosting happens – and not only in dating or at the local Fright Fest. It’s a growing problem in the employment industry as well.

• Ghosting occurs when a candidate suddenly stops replying to your emails or other correspondence, doesn’t show up for an interview, or even has already accepted your offer but is nowhere to be seen on their first scheduled work day. According to recent LinkedIn reports, 95 percent of recruiters have been ghosted at some point.

Ghosting is not always a reflection of your company or your job opportunity. It may be affected by the current job market, which highly favors candidates and often offers them several options for where to work. But regardless of the reasons, it helps to understand why candidates ghost employers, and what you can do to minimize this practice.

Managing Navigating Candidates That Ghost

Focus on the Candidate and Employee Experience

Hiring is tougher than ever, so you must exceed candidates’ expectations throughout the process. Avoid being ghosted by treating all your prospective hires fairly and with respect, move as efficiently as possible, and present compelling offers to your most desired applicants.

Also, look inward and keep an eye on employee morale. Especially if a position has been open for a while, if a candidate backs out without notice, the rest of your team can feel the impact. Find ways to boost their spirits and lessen the blow, even as you work to improve your hiring process.

Keep Communication Lines Open

Tighten up your recruitment communications and keep candidates in the loop by:

• Sending messages that require a response: For starters, learn which method of communication a candidate prefers. For some, it may still be email or a phone call, but others rely on texting or direct messaging. Then, leave messages that require a reply, such as “Our next step is to schedule a second interview so you can meet more of our team members. Are you available next Tuesday at 2 p.m.?”
• Providing a reliable hiring timeline: Let candidates know what the next step in their hiring process will be and, as precisely as possible, when it will occur. If there are unexpected delays, communicate these changes and updates ASAP, as well.
• Don’t be a ghost yourself. When you eliminate a candidate from contention, let them know courteously and promptly so they can move on. Ghosting goes both ways – the LinkedIn study also showed that 53 percent of candidates had experienced it – and it’s not a good look.

Improve Your Hiring Process (and More) Today!

KeyHR provides a comprehensive range of client human resource services and solutions to help you optimize your hiring process, improve communications, and keep all your talent management needs on track so nothing scary gets in the way of your success. Reach out to us today to learn more.