Candidate ghosting remains a real and persistent problem, with 66% of managers reporting they’ve experienced this issue first-hand. Candidates that accept a job offer and fail to show up for their start date or even candidates that disappear before the offer can be made is a frustrating reality for many hiring teams. How can organizations proactively change their strategies to ensure they’re not the victims of a ghost candidate this year?
How to Prevent Ghosting
The latest data shows more than one-third of Gen Z employees (age 22 or younger) and 26% of millennials (aged 23-38) have accepted a job and then reneged by simply disappearing. It’s not just younger candidates who do this to recruiting teams, either; we see it from job seekers of all ages.
Ghosting is when a candidate disappears without contacting the recruiter during the hiring process. This can happen at any point during the hiring process, too. Fortunately, there are some ways for employers to increase their efforts so that ghosting never occurs. For example:
Create a transparent hiring process that communicates the timeline for employment.
Ghosting may simply occur because the candidate hadn’t heard from the recruiter in a while so they took another job. If you can speed up the hiring process and clearly communicate the steps and how long it will take, it will help the candidate understand what is happening and be less likely to walk away.
Personalize the candidate experience.
Make sure your recruiting team doesn’t just treat the candidate like a number in a database or even worse, a commission so that your company leaves a positive impression with the job applicant.
Ask the candidate about their career goals and incorporate them into the application process.
The conversation shouldn’t just be a one-sided query by the interviewer. This is a two-way street, so to engage candidates, share what’s in it for them and how it will fit their goals. Remember—the best candidates are also interviewing you, so represent your company in its best light.
Have the leeway to negotiate additional benefits whenever possible.
Sometimes you end up in a competitive bidding war so you don’t want a few thousand dollars or an extra job benefit to stand in your way of closing the candidate. Flexible work arrangements, signing bonuses, or even professional development opportunities can help your company stand out if the candidate has more than one offer on the table.
Work quickly.
Long, drawn-out application processes are frustrating to the candidate. One study showed 54% of candidates accept the first offer they received. If you wait too long, the chances are higher that other companies will also make an offer. Be respectful of the candidate’s time; while we know hiring is hard, don’t let your workflows around the process create an environment where the candidate is so frustrated, they walk away.
We Can Help You Find the Right Candidates
Lingo Staffing is all in favor of a candidate-centric process. We understand that every candidate must leave the interview process with a favorable impression of your company. Our team works hard to create a transparent, positive hiring process that always focuses on one goal—reducing your time to hire with the right candidate for the job. Find out why we’re different. Call on us today.
