Job ghosting: what is it and how to prevent it

Job ghosting is one of the challenges that a company may face during its hiring processes and occurs when certain candidates disappear without providing any explanations. 

The consequences are significant and extend beyond financial implications, as they can create uncertainty and confusion in projects and lead to talent leakage.

The causes of job ghosting can be varied, stemming from the candidates themselves or from a lack of clear and transparent communication from the company, among other possibilities. 

Due to its potential impact on your project, this article will delve into the details of what job  ghosting is and why it is crucial to avoid it in your company.

What is job ghosting?

Job ghosting refers to the sudden and unexplained disappearance of an employee from their job or a candidate from a job selection process, with no further communication or formalities. 

The term originally applied to romantic or fraternal relationships, where a person vanishes without contacting their partner or friends. It has since been adopted in professional environments as well.

Some European and North American theorists and analysts have linked job ghosting to another current phenomenon called “The Great Resignation,” which involves a significant and alarming number of people resigning from certain job positions en masse.

Specifically regarding the hiring process, jobghosting occurs when a candidate loses interest in continuing the process, which can be due to various reasons. 

As a direct consequence, recruiters face difficulties in maintaining a high percentage of candidates until the end, primarily due to the lack of emotional connection and trust between the company and the candidate.

Causes of ghosting in the workplace

The motivations behind job ghosting are diverse, as mentioned earlier. Here are some of the most common causes for both candidates and employers:

For candidates:

Candidates may abandon the selection process for various reasons, such as personal insecurities or feeling unequipped to handle a hostile or overly demanding environment. 

Similarly, they may become demotivated after realizing that the proposed job does not meet their expectations or after having doubts about the company, possibly due to a negative experience during the recruitment interview stage. 

In lengthy selection processes, candidates might be lured away by more responsive and competitive companies.

For employers:

Some causes of workplace ghosting can be attributed to the conditions offered to employees or candidates, including:

• Low salaries compared to the market and the responsibilities of the position.
• Lack of a strong company culture.
• Hostile work environment.
• Discrepancy between the job description and what was communicated in the job offer.

Additionally, while it’s the responsibility of recruiters, it’s not uncommon for candidates who are accustomed to receiving no response from companies during the selection process to reciprocate by disappearing without explanations.

Why is it important to prevent job ghosting?

To understand why you should avoid this situation in your company, it’s crucial to be aware of its impact:

Financial loss:

Selection processes typically have budget allocations based on a predefined roadmap that structures workflows. 

Investing resources in candidates who no longer participate results in financial loss and extends the time to achieve the organization’s objectives. 

Furthermore, candidates require an adaptation period within the company before they become fully operational.

Uncertainty and insecurity:

Failing to find the necessary candidate affects other teams, which may become overloaded with work that needs to be distributed among them. 

Projects also face uncertainty regarding meeting deadlines, assuming planned responsibilities, and more.

How can you prevent job ghosting?

Given the significant consequences of ghosting in the workplace, taking the necessary measures to prevent it is essential.

You can start by placing the candidate and employee at the center of Human Resources (HR) strategies.

Here are some tips:

• Build a company culture that values human capital by implementing to empower all profiles.
• Streamline the selection process. Simplifying the stages reduces ghosting in the workplace and allows you to identify the talent available for your project.
• Embrace transparent, honest, and effective communication. This involves accurately defining the required skills and competencies for the offered position and addressing any doubts that may arise during the process.
• Foster exponential leadership within your company—humanistic and inspiring leadership that extends beyond physical boundaries.
• Provide added value and integrate not only fair and respectful remuneration for candidates but also emotional benefits, such as work-life balance, solutions for ensuring employees’ social and emotional well-being, and more.
• Take advantage of the benefits of online recruitment. Automating certain phases of the selection process and managing many applications efficiently and objectively while accessing passive talent.
• Establish a relationship of trust with candidates and collaborators to reinforce commitment and a sense of belonging.

At Smowltech, we understand that trust in digital environments must be built on pillars of respect and security. 

Therefore, we offer our clients adaptable proctoring solutions that create secure environments for any type of remote interaction. 

Request a free demo to see how we can assist you in your online recruitment processes and distance learning projects.