Candidates and employers alike have been seeing ghosts, but I don’t mean the type that would require an exorcist. Ghosting happens when someone you’re pursuing suddenly vanishes and becomes unresponsive to communication. For a long time, it’s been employers ghosting candidates, despite requests for follow up after an interview. Now, with the unemployment rate so low, candidates and employees have been turning the tables back on employers. So, how do you reduce the ghost sightings?
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Public Relations
Everyone on your recruitment team should act as a member of the PR team. You are the main point of contact for a prospective candidate. How you treat them will leave a lasting impression since this is their only exposure to company culture. Candidates are in a position to be selective about which positions they select. Display trust, respect and open communication to give them a reason to choose you.
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Review Your Hiring Process
When is the last time you took a tour through your hiring process? Have you examined it from the lens of a potential applicant? There is usually some room to streamline and eliminate redundancies. There is a growing trend to implement AI and automation with Applicant Tracking Systems that will take much of the time burden away from you. So, you could have more time to give constructive feedback to candidates.
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Be Real
Not everyone is going to be a great fit for the role you’re trying to fill. Be honest along the process and give feedback where possible. As part of the recruiting team, it is your responsibility to set realistic expectations for both the employer and the candidate. If you ghost candidates and don’t provide them with the respect they deserve, they will speak to their friends. A bad reputation is difficult to overcome.
Why is there an increasing display of ghosting? It could be because employers and recruiters have taught this to candidates as acceptable behavior. How do we deal with being professionally ghosted? From here, we can lead by example, give candidates a reason to want to come back, and don’t forget the human.
