What is candidate ghosting and how to prevent it?

As a recruiter, has it ever happened to you that, in the middle of a process, you had a candidate who stopped answering messages, phone calls, emails or don’t show up to the job interview? You just stopped hearing about that person. That was a case of the ever-growing candidate ghosting and a real problem for your recruitment process.  

How much do you know about that problem? Do you know how to prevent it from happening in your organization? At T2W we have an extensive experience in recruitment processes, so we can help you. In this article we’ll delve into the concept of candidate ghosting and the most effective ways to prevent it from causing too many problems in your process.  

What is candidate ghosting? 

Candidate ghosting happens when a candidate to a specific position leaves the process without warning, explanation or a clear reason. This is especially harmful when it happens in the final stages of the recruitment process or when the person who leaves has a particularly good profile. If this problem happens repeatedly, you might have serious issues in the way your selection processes are managed. 

Candidate ghosting and job ghosting 

There are many types of ghosting in the professional sphere. There is candidate ghosting, which we have just seen and happens during the recruitment process. On the other hand, there is also job ghosting, which happens when an employee inside the organization suddenly leaves without warning or communication. Both situations entail real problems for the company, but their solutions require different approaches. 

You might also like: What is job ghosting? Understanding its main causes 

How to prevent candidate ghosting? 

1. Be clear since the beginning 

In general, many organizations try to make their job posts very attractive in order to sell the position and get more applicants. This way, they show an image of the company and the position that is not completely real. So, once the candidate is in the middle of the recruitment process and notices that the position or the organization was not what it seemed, they leave.  

For that reason, what’s most important is to be complete clear with candidates since the beginning. The information you show in the job post and the information you offer while communicating directly with each candidate has to be 100% honest. The main objective is helping people to fully understand the job and the organization’s work philosophy. Don’t forget that honesty is key for a good candidate experience. 

2. Speed up your processes 

Today’s work market is full of job offers. Even in the midst of a recruitment process, many candidates are analyzing and comparing other options. If your process takes too long, applicants will start leaving. How much time should take a regular process? Ideally, recruitment processes should take between two and four weeks. 

When it extends beyond that timeframe, it’s considered a long process and, therefore, a risky one. Of course, there are positions that require more time. For that reason, It’s important to constantly update your processes and keeping a good communication with candidates, which leads us to the next aspect. 

3. Constant communication 

Recruitment processes usually are very stressful for candidates. Nobody likes to be kept waiting for days or weeks without knowing if they made it to the next phase. Is that uncertainty what makes many people leave the process and look for another opportunity. That’s why communication throughout the process it’s so important. Here, the recruiter’s communicative and interpersonal skills will be key. 

Once each phase is over, notify the results no only to the candidates who passed, but also to the ones who didn’t make it. Also, develop the habit of communicating regularly with the candidates to remind them that the process is not over and ask if they have any doubt. This is especially important if one of the phases is taking too much time and keeps people waiting. That simple gesture will make all the difference. 

4. Candidate feedback 

Perhaps your processes are transparent, fast and you keep close communication with candidates, but you still have cases of candidate ghosting. In that case, your recruitment process has some problems you haven’t noticed yet. How can you identify it effectively? This is the perfect moment to ask candidates for feedback. 

To achieve this, the perfect tool are post-recruitment candidate surveys. Here, you have to ask which aspects of the process they felt need improvement and which ones were OK. If you kept constant communication with applicants and offered a good experience, most candidates will complete the survey. The information you receive will be valuable to improve your process.  

Now you know how to avoid candidate ghosting. Pay attention to all your selection processes and try to update them constantly. This way you will successfully prevent this problem from affecting your organization.  

At Talent2Win, we strive to align your company’s business objectives with the best Talent Acquisition strategies available. If you want to learn more about the services we offer, do not hesitate to contact us.