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How To Handle Being Ghosted During Your Job Search

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Almost every single professional has dealt with being ghosted during a job search. It is absolutely agonizing waiting to hear back about a job in which you have invested both time and emotions. Even worse is the pit in your stomach when you realize you will never hear back. If you find yourself in this situation, you need to understand why it happens and what you can do about it.

Understand Why It Happens

While we wish no one ever had to deal with being ghosted by a prospective employer, it is unavoidable. Especially in today’s market, hiring managers are receiving thousands of applications for a single position. Unfortunately, it means they aren’t able to follow up with each and every applicant.  

If you’re being ghosted farther along in the hiring process, that certainly leaves a stronger impression. However, you have to understand that a company’s only objective is to fill their open position, so that is where they are focusing all of their energy. On the plus side, it does mean you have a bit more leverage.

What You Can Do About It

Once you’ve been in contact with a company during a hiring process (meaning you’ve had an interview or two), there are a few things you can do after being ghosted. Career Strategist Bob McIntosh recently recommended following up with your primary contact up to three times. Keep your follow-ups short, professional, and positive. If you haven’t heard back after the third attempt, it’s time to move on.

Further ghost-proof your job search by keeping an open mind. Don’t limit yourself to the one position you’re interviewing for. Continue applying for jobs and accepting interviews as they come your way. Most importantly, don’t take ghosting personally. Being ghosted during your job search is lamentably an inevitable part of the modern hiring process. Finally, when you eventually climb the corporate ladder, you’ll have the opportunity to break the cycle! 

3 Reasons Why You’re Being Ghosted By Candidates

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With an unemployment rate of 3.5 percent, almost every employer out there has been ghosted recently. Job seekers are optimistic about today’s job market and are taking risks when committing to job offers. So much so that 28 percent of candidates have backed out of a job offer after accepting it. And nearly half of those “ghosts” (44 percent) did so because they accepted a more lucrative opportunity. If you don’t want to join the 83 percent of employers that have been ghosted by candidates, here are three reasons why candidates are ghosting you.

The job market is scary good

With 7.1 million job openings throughout the country, there are literally millions of different opportunities out there. And with a 6.26 percent decrease in unemployment claims year-over-year, there isn’t an abundance of available workers. In other words, the labor market is a frightening place for employers. With so many job opportunities to pick from and a rapidly shrinking talent pool, job seekers have the luxury of being selective.

Your hiring process is driving candidates batty

If your process is too slow, you are more likely to be ghosted by your candidates. If it’s taking you weeks to reach out to candidates for a phone screening or an initial interview, you’re likely too late. Hiring managers are currently filling jobs in less than four weeks. So, if your process is taking much longer than that, you are probably going to miss out on candidates. Try to find bottlenecks in your process that are taking too long. Once you’ve identified hiccups, you can adjust your hiring process relatively painlessly to scare off the ghosts.

Your offer letters are full of cobwebs

In today’s market, you have to present candidates with a strong offer from the get-go. If you’re not competitive with your compensation or other benefits, you may be scaring job-seekers away. Many candidates are receiving multiple offers, so if you don’t provide a desirable offer quickly, they will join the 44 percent of job seekers that back out for more lucrative offers.

If your team is struggling to combat all of the job-seeking ghosts out there, reach out to a professional recruiting firm that specializes in your industry. We have all the tools your team needs to fight off the job seeking ghouls and goblins. Contact us today!

Five Things That Will Haunt Your Job Search

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Did you know that October is the hottest month for hiring? If you’re interested in taking advantage of today’s 3.5 percent unemployment rate, there are millions of opportunities across the country. However, regardless of the condition of today’s labor market, you still have to be conscious of how you pursue your job search. Here are five things that will haunt your job search, even in today’s tight market.

Not doing your homework

Whether it’s writing your resume or preparing for an interview, you must do your homework on the company. When drafting your resume, take a close look at what’s on the job description. You essentially want your resume to mirror their job description to demonstrate that you’re qualified for the position. And for an interview, you want to take a deep dive online to prepare. Check out their website, social media accounts, and do a quick Google search. Try to gather an idea of their company culture, mission and values, and recent news about the company. These will all help you create talking points during your interview. More and more companies are beginning to ask candidates what they know about their company to see if they came prepared and to evaluate how serious they are about the position.

Apply for too many jobs at the same company

Be careful where you apply. It’s never a good idea to apply for numerous positions at the same company during the same period. It comes across as desperate to hiring managers and human resources professionals. Sure, applying for a couple of jobs is fine if you’re qualified for each of them. However, if you go down the list of open positions and apply for a handful of them, it can spook the company. And if you’re applying for a bunch of jobs, be cautious; it’s easier than you think to apply to the same company multiple times without realizing it. So, don’t scare away your chances of receiving a job before you even get a shot at an interview.

Not dressing appropriately for your interview

If you’re heading into an interview, make sure you dress appropriately. And that doesn’t always mean wearing a suit and tie. If it’s an onsite interview at a manufacturing plant or mining facility, bring your steel-toed boots. If it’s an office setting, you’ll want to dress at least business casual. The key is to dress one step above the company’s typical office attire. If you’re not sure what to wear, ask HR. But when in doubt, always dress for success.

Poor communication

In this candidate-driven market, hiring managers are struggling with being ghosted – candidates who suddenly drop out of the interviewing process. If you stop communicating with hiring managers or HR, they’ll probably assume you’re no longer interested. Strong and clear communication is vital throughout the entire process. If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to ask them. But when a hiring manager reaches out to you, respond appropriately, or they may assume you’re dropping your name out of the race.

Not working with a recruiter

Have you worked with a recruiter before? If you really want to step up your job search game, then team up with a professional recruiter, like one from JSG. We have a talented team of recruiters that specialize in a wide array of industries. We build strong relationships with hiring managers and will help get your resume on the top of their desks instead of it just sitting in a pile on their computer. We’ll walk you through every step to ensure your job search isn’t haunted. Ready to take your career to the next level? Reach out to us today, and we’ll help you find your next opportunity!

How to Prevent Getting Ghosted By Your Candidates

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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.

How Ghosting a Recruiter Can Come Back to Haunt You

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ghosting a recruiter

I get it, some recruiters have a reputation of ghosting candidates, and you probably think that what goes around comes around. However, ghosting a recruiter can come back to haunt you. And I was taught as a child that two wrongs don’t make a right.

I work mostly with Software Engineers and it seems more rampant with the tight labor market in the Tech Sector, especially in the Bay Area where I fill most of my jobs. But markets shift and recruiters like me who are in the height of their careers have long memories, and even more importantly, applicant tracking systems that share all data on our interactions with candidates. So, even if one recruiter leaves or moves on to a new role within the company, the ghosting becomes part of your records.

Going dark

I was recently working with a prospective candidate where I was actively engaging with them. We were emailing, texting, as well as playing major phone tag. They had a great first conversation with the client and the client asked to bring them in for an in-person team meeting. Then the candidate went dark. It took days to get a reply back and then when they did surface, they only provided one day of availability. I shared this with the client, and of course, the client was at a training that day and unable to meet. I immediately shared this update with the candidate, via email and voice message. No response, nothing… It was like the middle of the night quiet but not peaceful because we now had to share the unfortunate news with our client that this individual ghosted us.

It’ll come back and haunt you

Fast forward a few months later we have more openings with this client. I posted the job on our website and traditional boards plus did my due diligence in searching to fill these roles. The same candidate who ghosted me applied four times on two different job boards. It appears that this candidate hasn’t worked since I last spoke with them. Even though they are a fit for the role and could add value to my client, I can’t take the risk on them again and I don’t want to risk my client’s projects on someone who is clearly not a team player.

I can’t take responsibility for what other recruiters do, but I can do my best to make your experience with me and JSG a great one and ask for the same in return.

By staying in touch, that candidate could have made an advocate of me for their career. And even if this role didn’t work out, I would have kept them in mind for another better opportunity in the future.

How to Get a Candidate to Accept Your Job Offer in This Tight Market

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Accept Job Offer

With this year being at an all-time low for unemployment rates, companies, like you, are being pushed to give higher wages, be more willing to relocate, and overall do a lot more to get and have great candidates take their job offer. And since the market is so great for candidates, companies are seeing a huge increase in ghosting from candidates when given an offer letter and even after accepting it.

But there are a few things you can do from your companies perspective that will keep those great candidates from leaving and going to another “better” opportunity.

Move Quickly

Moving quickly is a huge way to keep candidates on the hook and not looking for other positions. This way you can decrease the likelihood of them having counter offers, that will take them away from your position.

The killer of all deals is time. If you don’t move quickly, you will almost always lose the candidates you want to another company that is moving quicker. Even though the job market is great, candidates are still wanting to move quickly, and will not just wait for your company if they have another job offer on the table.

Be Unique

Make sure to juice up your company. Do you have a great company culture? Do you help employee’s support charities? There are tons of different things that make your company special. So, showcasing your best attributes will only keep candidates interested in your company and hopefully pass on other interviews and job offers. When you have a candidate that is excited about your company and morally loves what you do, almost nothing will keep them from accepting your offer.

Make Personal Connections

Making your company and people they will be working with accessible, is pertinent to keeping candidates on the hook. When they are in contact constantly with people they will be working with, they will want to stay on board with your company. It helps make them feel important and every person enjoys that feeling. So, instead of backing off after giving an offer, make sure to check in and have those personal connections with your candidates.

Opportunities for Growth

This is an important one to make sure you hammer into candidates you want to hire. Everyone wants to grow and well, earn more money. So, if you can explain to them how climbing the ladder works, it will help them realize how they can grow in their career. Explaining how promotions work and what they can expect helps them not be blindsided when they want to ask for promotions. And in turn, makes them more excited to work with a company that is so upfront. Being honest with growth potential and promotions will help you, in the long run, find great employees who want to stay. And keep your retention numbers even higher.

Overall, these tips can and will help you retain talent that you are dying to have. In today’s job market a lot of companies are hurting because there are not enough people to fill their open positions. And when you find a good candidate you do not want to lose them over small mistakes. If you keep in mind these tip’s you’ll be on the road to success with hiring great employee’s, who accept your job offer and you’ll have fewer candidates ghosting your company.

Why Ghosting a Recruiter Can Hurt Your Career

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ghosting

Ghosting has become a huge problem because great candidates are getting not just one offer, but multiple. And instead of being honest and upfront with recruiters and companies, they leave them in the dark when they find something better.

Why Ghosting Can Hurt Your Reputation

Everyone will understand if you get a better offer. But just dropping off and not telling a recruiter what happened will only hurt you and your reputation. Accepting an offer from a company but not showing up for your first day of work, is just wrong. You can’t go around pretending you didn’t have people helping you in this process… And when you burn them, you can’t just think that it won’t come back to bite you.

When working with a recruiter they are taking their time to help you find your next awesome position. They do this job in hopes of helping candidates grow and reach their career goals. If you end up ghosting them, all that time, effort, personal connection, working with companies, is wasted. And it stings knowing they put all that effort into you just for you to not show up to your first day of work or never respond to an offer.

What You Can Do Instead of Ghosting a Recruiter

Telling someone you are going in a different direction when you know about all the work they did for you, is hard! But ghosting them is so much worse. You burn a bridge with someone that will be there to help you through your next career moves. If you accepted an offer and ended up not showing up to work, you not only burned the recruiter bridge, you burned a company one as well. Like the saying goes, the world is small, and depending on your career, it can be even smaller.

So, to avoid burning those bridges, be honest. If you have other offers on the table, tell your recruiter! They can then give that information to the companies looking at you. If you’ve decided to go another route and don’t want to leave your current position, tell your recruiter! If you’ve received a better offer, after already accepting one for another company, tell your recruiter so they can help explain what happened to the employer. Never leave them in the dark to get burned.

If you do these things, you’ll never have to worry about your career being hurt over ghosting. It will help you stay accountable and in all honesty, all recruiters want is for you to find your next dream job. And they will understand if that isn’t through them. And if you make sure not to burn that bridge, you never know, they could end up finding you an even better position in the future.