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Candidate Ghosting: Why They Might Be Disappearing


When your firm is looking to expand, publishing a job posting online is only the beginning. The hiring process entails coordination with your HR personnel and the candidates themselves, as well as orchestrating evaluations, scheduling interviews, and finally, presenting the offers.

It can be extremely frustrating to see only a handful of candidates apply to your posting, but even worse is the advent of “candidate ghosting” – when promising candidates seem to fall off the grid in the midst of the hiring process. Here are some top reasons your candidates could be disappearing, and how to avoid being left in the dark:

Timely and Clear Communication

From the outset, be transparent with your candidates. Communicate the expected timeline for application responses, interviews, and potential offers. Candidates who are unsure about the next steps after clicking “submit application” may become disenfranchised. Be clear and open with applicants, and they are more likely to stay involved.

Relatable and Personalized Application

The more generic and impersonal the application, the less attachment to and memory of it the candidate will have. Employees crave recognition and validation – throughout the application process, emphasize the candidate’s goals and development. Showing that your company deeply values its employees will leave a positive impression of the company culture in the applicant’s mind, and a unique and personalized application will separate your firm from the others the candidate may be considering.

Competitive Offers

What makes a candidate choose one position over another? Sure, culture plays a role – however, applicants will likely only get a glimpse of your work dynamic and environment through the hiring process and will make their decisions based on other factors. This is why making a competitive offer is key to retaining candidates through to final hire. The offer presented to the applicant (both in the original posting and in the final job offer) should convey your firm’s commitment to rewarding quality candidates. The age-old principle of supply and demand should not be ignored: if your offer is light or uncompetitive, your applicants may lose interest or be enticed by other options.

Professional Expertise 

Instead of navigating the hiring process alone and hoping for the best, consult the experts and set yourself up for success. Sudina Search was founded on building professional relationships through results. Forty years later, we continue to deliver exceptional staffing results through our network of valued relationships. We’re a full-service recruiting firm focusing on the career areas of Accounting & Finance, Information Technology, Software Engineering, and Human Resources. Visit our website at www.sudinasearch.com to partner with us and start recruiting top-talent for the future.