A recent article published on Quartz discusses the pervasive phenomenon of employers “ghosting” on job candidates.
“Ghosting,” to clarify, is to suddenly disappear from a formal relationship, whether the relationship is personal or professional.
According to a 2013 CareerBuilder study of nearly 4,000 workers, 60 percent of job applicants never hear back from an employer after they’ve already interviewed.
The article’s author, Robin Epstein, describes a circumstance in which she provided multiple letters of recommendation, did an interview on Skype, flew out 3,000 miles to meet in-person, gave a an hour-long presentation, met with professors, and interviewed with the department chair for a professorship position, all just to never hear back.
Epstein had to call to get any sort of response, and was ultimately left with the simple explanation that “she’s not our selected candidate.”
Many experts believe that ghosting is a thing because companies get floods of applicants and interviewees, and feel overwhelmed. They agree that this does not justify the behavior at all, however.
To avoid an employer ghosting on you, it is recommended to follow up regularly with them during the interview process. This means no less than once a week.
Employers should make the same efforts to reach out and update, but as the job candidate, the onus ultimately falls on you.
Another way to avoid a ghosting situation is by cultivating a close relationship with someone within the company. They can always serve as an additional point of reference.
Although it can be tempting for employers to avoid informing those who don’t get the job, it is the best for everyone to do so, as it allows all parties to move on.
