Stop Ghosting, Start Connecting: Improve Your Employer Brand

Ghosting — when employers cease communication with candidates in the middle of the job interview process without explanation — has become a prevalent and damaging trend in the recruitment industry. Nearly half of job seekers report being ghosted after initial conversations, while underrepresented candidates are 62% more likely to experience ghosting post-interview compared to their peers.

For tech employers who want to attract top talent, ghosting can severely impact reputation, create mistrust and ultimately deter qualified candidates from engaging with your brand. This article explores the risks of ghosting and provides actionable strategies to create a respectful and transparent candidate experience.

The Impact of Ghosting on Your Employer Brand

In a field as competitive as tech, having a recruiter who is ghosting candidates on your team can have lasting repercussions on your employer brand. When candidates experience an unexpected halt in communication, they may interpret it as a reflection of the company’s values and how they treat employees. It may also signify that the company is unreliable. With 77% of job seekers actively researching prospective employers on social media to examine company culture and employee treatment to inform their decisions, this perception holds weight, and any negative experiences past candidates share online can be damaging.

The effects of ghosting on your employer brand extend beyond one-off experiences. Nearly 40% of applicants report they’d be less likely to engage with a company that previously ghosted them, creating a ripple effect that diminishes the company’s ability to attract top-tier talent.

Why Recruiters Ghost Candidates

If you have a recruiter ghosting candidates on your team, this behavior could stem from several issues. Although none of these reasons excuse the impact ghosting has on candidates, understanding the root cause can help you provide solutions. High application volumes and time constraints lead recruiters to struggle with follow-up, especially if they’re balancing multiple open roles. When companies decide to close a position, hire someone else or adjust their hiring plans mid-process, they may also leave candidates hanging with a lack of updates.

Some recruiters may also ghost a candidate to avoid delivering negative news. For example, if a candidate doesn’t align with the company’s culture or their salary expectations exceed budget, recruiters may neglect to proceed with the interview process. Finally, technical issues within applicant tracking systems may also play a role. Despite these challenges, candidates overwhelmingly want clarity. More than 81% expect notification when they’re no longer under consideration for a position.

The Cost of Ghosting in Tech Recruitment

The practice of recruiters ghosting candidates comes with a hefty price tag for tech companies. By leaving candidates without closure, businesses risk losing talented prospects who may share negative experiences with their networks. Candidates are less likely to engage with a company in the future if they’ve been ghosted, shrinking the candidate pool.

This pattern of ghosting impacts your employer brand and tarnishes your reputation too, as candidates increasingly use social media and online review websites such as Glassdoor to research prospective employers. Ghosting also contributes to extended time-to-hire and higher recruitment costs as potential candidates choose competitors known for their transparent communication and healthy work culture. Overall, ghosting can have a significant impact on your company’s operations and bottom line.

Best Practices for Maintaining Communication

Here are some best practices on how to improve candidate communication throughout the recruitment process:

• Set clear expectations: Outline the steps in your hiring process, estimated timeframes and what candidates need to prepare. Setting expectations early helps candidates feel informed and valued.
• Acknowledge applications promptly: Nearly 96% of candidates want confirmation that the company received their application and 66% expect an update within 24 hours. An initial acknowledgment email can set a positive tone and reduce uncertainty.
• Use automation wisely: Automate basic updates to streamline communication, but balance this with personal touchpoints at important stages, such as interview invitations or feedback after an interview.
• Personalize communication: Address candidates by name, reference specifics from their application and tailor messages to the role they’re applying for. Small details help candidates feel recognized and respected.
• Be transparent and consistent: Communicate status updates throughout the hiring process, and promptly inform candidates of delays. Transparency helps manage expectations and builds trust.
• Provide closure: Make sure every candidate receives a final decision. Feedback, even if brief, can help candidates understand their strengths and leave a positive impression, regardless of the outcome.

Leveraging Technology to Prevent Ghosting

Thoughtfully incorporating technology into your recruitment process can reduce the likelihood of ghosting candidates by streamlining communication, managing workflows and providing a consistent experience. When used alongside human interaction, these tools create a seamless hiring journey that keeps candidates engaged and informed. Here are some tech tips for preventing candidate ghosting in hiring:

• Automate responses and schedule updates: Automate acknowledgment emails upon application receipt, and send periodic updates throughout the hiring process.
• Use interview scheduling tools: Tools such as Calendly or Google Calendar integrations simplify scheduling and send automated reminders.
• Implement chatbots: Chatbots can answer common questions in real time, while virtual assistants can assist with follow-up tasks to provide candidates with timely information.
• Personalize feedback: Automated yet tailored feedback at each stage helps candidates feel valued, even if they aren’t selected, which fosters a positive impression of the company.
• Consider multichannel communication: In addition to email, consider WhatsApp, phone calls and text messages to reach candidates on their preferred channels.

Building a Positive Candidate Experience

Positive, consistent communication throughout every step of the recruitment process can strengthen your brand’s reputation, reduce time-to-hire and decrease overhead costs. Here are some key takeaways from this article that you can implement today:

• Set expectations early by outlining each stage of the hiring process, the anticipated timeline and points of contact.
• Leverage automated responses to acknowledge applications, confirm interviews and provide timely updates.
• Personalize feedback after interviews to keep candidates engaged.
• Streamline interview scheduling and screening by using AI-driven tools to simplify the process.
• Request feedback from candidates after the hiring process to identify areas for improvement.

Improving communication with candidates creates a win-win situation that benefits everyone, including recruiters and the company. Ready to supercharge your recruitment practices? Explore Dice’s hiring solutions to connect with top tech talent and build a positive candidate experience that supports long-term success.