Ghosted by Candidates

Definition of Ghosting: “the practice of ending a personal relationship with someone by suddenly and without explanation withdrawing from all communication.”

You may be familiar with the term ghosting as it relates to a personal relationship, but whoever heard of an employers being ghosted by a candidates?

Well, here’s how it works.
You interview a candidate who fits the role. After consideration your company extends an offer of engagement.  And then wait.  You call, email and text the candidate, but silence. The candidate doesn’t acknowledge any form of communication. It’s as if they have disappeared without a trace.

Ghosting is becoming a common phenomenon  adopted by candidates who don’t like what they see. It could be something in the offer – salary, benefits or conditions or a host of other things, so they simply ignore you.  As an employer it is frustrating to have to start over when you believe you had found a great fit.  What makes it particularly irritating is that you will rarely find out what happened, but something made them reconsider joining your company.

Ghosting is expensive, annoying and rude, but here’s a few tips that may assist with your potential hire signing on the dotted line:

Candidate Experience

Streamline your hiring process. Start with making the application simple and straightforward. At the interview make sure the candidate feels welcome and excited about the role on offer.

Two-Way Interview

Candidates expect the interview to be a genuine two-way conversation. Find out what’s important and what motivates them.  Tell them how the company can meet their expectations. Give them lots of relevant information to persuade them that you’re the employer that they should join.

Make sure that duties and responsibilities are being communicated consistently by everyone involved in the hiring process. Candidates don’t want to feel that they are being ‘taken for a ride’ with discrepancies in expectations.

Provide Prompt Feedback

Keep candidates informed and don’t delay in providing feedback promptly. Candidates have lots of options and won’t be waiting around. You don’t want to be ghosted, neither do they.

Hiring Timeline

What’s your timeline to extend an offer? If it takes too long the candidate is likely to move on and accept another offer.

Expectations

Inform the candidate that your company requires background screening, drug testing and satisfactory references prior to job offers. You’ll be surprised at how this can eliminate candidates “ghosting” you.

Atarid provides property management industry experienced professionals to employers nationally and has been doing so for 10+ years.  For a confidential discussion talk to the experts who understand your property sector call 904 322 8909 or Contact Atarid.