If you’re a hiring manager, you’ve probably been ghosted by a candidate or two. Haven’t heard of that term yet? Ghosting is when a candidate drops off the face of the earth at some point during the hiring process. It can be for just a phone screening or as extreme as failing to show up for their first day of work. With an all-time low unemployment rate of 3.5 percent, candidates have a lot of job opportunities in front of them. In other words, they may drop out of the interviewing process at any moment without as much as an email.
If you’re worried about finding the talent you need before the end of the year, here are a few tips on how to prevent getting ghosted by your candidates.
Strong communication with candidates
Clear communication is essential if you want to avoid getting ghosted by your candidates. Keep candidates in the loop by letting them know what steps are next and what is to be expected each step through your process. Provide clear and real expectations, so everyone is on the same page. The best thing you can do is be upfront with your candidates from the very beginning, as communication is vital for a successful hire. Basically, you want to create a roadmap for them from the first communication to the hiring decision. If candidates know what is to come, they will be less likely to be spooked and ghost you during the hiring process.
Efficient hiring process
Every organizations’ hiring process is different. However, every hiring manager can identify ways to streamline the process for your candidates. Take a 10,000-foot view of your hiring process and try to identify inefficiencies. Are you taking too long to make hiring decisions? Does it take your team days and says to schedule interviews? Write these things down and try to find ways to reduce them. The longer your hiring process takes, the more likely it is that you will scare off candidates. If it takes you weeks or even months to make a hiring decision, you will likely miss out on top candidates. If you take too long, candidates will drop like flies and head to competitors that have a quicker hiring process.
Smooth onboarding process
The best thing you can do to mitigate ghosting is to have a seamless onboarding process. Once you extend an offer to a candidate, set a start date, and stick with it. Don’t move it around to try and accommodate your schedule. It’s a candidate-driven market, and hiring managers must act with a sense of urgency. Don’t take months to onboard a candidate. The longer it takes for them to start, the more likely they will bail and pursue other opportunities. And in today’s market, many candidates are entertaining multiple job offers, so a quick onboarding process will help eliminate the odds of your candidates backing out of your offer and accepting another.
Hire the candidate “ghostbusters”
If you still find yourself being ghosted by candidates, it may be time to hire some pros known as candidate ghostbusters. Partner with a recruiter that specializes in your industry. We’ll help you identify and eliminate inefficiencies in your process so you can worry less about getting ghosted by your candidates.
