Tips on How to Reduce Candidate Ghosting

In the past, candidates complained about being ghosted by potential employers. Now, the tables have turned, and many companies are reporting being ghosted by candidates.

This simply happens when a candidate you were considering hiring suddenly goes dark. They’re gone and unreachable. You don’t know what happened, or when, but you know you can’t get a hold of them.

It’s a frustrating trend, but one you can control with a few simple tips in place.

How Can You Reduce Candidate Ghosting?

Change your mindset.

It’s no longer an employer’s market, but a candidate’s one. Part of your process therefore needs to be to promote your opportunities in an enticing way, keep the lines of communication open, and provide a positive candidate experience. Without these key steps in place, expect to get ghosted.

Talk to candidates about why they applied.

One of your first questions should be why a candidate applied to your job opening. This will help you to understand what they’re looking for in a job, so you can communicate in a way that appeals to them. 

Find out about deal-breakers.

Oftentimes, a candidate will seem like a great fit, then find out a requirement for the job – like regular travel, or not being able to work from home. These might be dealbreakers for them. Finding these out early in the process, though, can save time and frustration for you both.

Be open about salary and benefits.

Candidates are tired of employers being secretive about this and really, it’s not in your best interest. The more a candidate knows early in the hiring process, the better they can tell if they want the job. This means less of a chance of getting ghosted. So, discuss key considerations, like salary, benefits, schedule and more. 

Talk counter-offers.

Ask them what would happen if their current company wanted them to stay. If this is an option for them, you’ll want to know about it ahead of time. If they seem uncertain about how to handle such a scenario, you might need to dig deeper to find out how committed they are to finding a new job. 

Need more help hiring great candidates?

Skip the ghosting and let Gill Staffing handle the work. We can source, screen, recruit and refer you to exceptional candidates who work as hard as you do. It’s why we’re one of West Michigan’s leading staffing agencies. Simply contact us today to get started.