We don't like to talk about this, but some corporate
professionals involved with the hiring process are afraid
to speak with job seekers or offer bad news, such as they
won't be advanced in the interview process.
The term ‘ghosting’ is used to describe a situation where someone suddenly ‘vanishes’ and stops communicating during the hiring process.
When I first started recruiting a few years ago (ahem), hiring managers and internal human resources personnel were sure to offer feedback and guidance. They felt that by staying in close communication, they could get a better feel for the candidate and offer helpful tips for them to succeed.
Fast forward to the present, and it has all changed. A combination of deploying technology, and ease of applying to jobs, has made the job search experience cold and impersonal, resulting in the sudden rise in ghosting.
Social media platforms, like LinkedIn, career portals and job aggregators and niche job sites made it easy for people to find job listings and email their CV's.
Consequently, HR, recruiters and hiring managers have become inundated with CV's. The deluge has made it nearly impossible for companies to personally contact each and every applicant. This situation makes job seekers believe companies don't care about them.
It's become almost acceptable to cut ties without letting the other party know why. Instead of providing feedback, discussing jobs and sharing information on a call, people just disengage from the process, no calls, emails, goodbyes or a thank you.
It becomes self-fulfilling. When you’re the ghostee, you’re apt to ghost someone else.
We don’t like to talk about this, but some corporate professionals involved with the hiring process are afraid to speak with job seekers or offer bad news, such as they won’t be advanced in the interview process.
A manager is afraid that they may do something that can be construed as offensive or discriminatory, even when it's not their intention. A disgruntled applicant could ruin that person’s career. It's easier for them to just keep quiet and hope the person goes away.
If you are on the job hunt and this happens to you, don’t give up. Keep trying to get in touch with the parties you’ve dealt with. Approach them with polite persistence.
Text, email or call them on the phone to inquire about your pending status. Don’t come across angry, stand up for yourself.
The upside is that you could receive helpful feedback or trigger the boss to take action and bring you back for another interview or extend an offer.
On the other side of the equation, recruiters, talent acquisition and managers should at least try to show a little empathy and compassion. It will also help improve your company’s brand and reputation, as people will recognise that you actually care.
This article originally appeared on Arabian Business.
