Every job seeker has likely experienced ghosting at some point in their careers—that feeling of constantly checking your phone or refreshing your inbox, waiting for any feedback about your application.
One candidate in the throes of being ghosted describes:
“I had three amazing interviews with the recruiter, and the hiring team called me in for a lunch “meet and greet” with the team I’d be managing. It was a wonderful, enjoyable lunch, and I left feeling very confident. Now, a week has passed, and nothing. I don’t think it’s fair or professional to leave me hanging. I really just want to hear something.”
Unfortunately, this feeling is far from paranoia. Some 80% of hiring managers admit ignoring candidates after initial interactions with them. But employers don't hold all the cards. Almost half of jobseekers also say they would ghost an employer after applying for a job with them.
This guide details why ghosting has become such a common practice, the problems it causes, and strategies companies can use to establish open lines of communication throughout the hiring process.
Candidates and employers are both prone to ignoring each other in the current climate. It's a vicious circle—the more that employers ghost candidates, the more likely these burnt jobseekers are to ghost employers. In essence, ghosting has become an accepted practice that doesn't serve either party well.
Recruiters guilty of snubbing applicants often feel pressure to fill roles quickly. Here are some reasons employers may struggle to maintain honest communication with job candidates.
33% of recruiters admit to ghosting applicants due to high volumes of applications, according to Resume Genius. They simply don’t have time to respond to every candidate that applies for a role with them.
Companies lacking defined hiring systems also get stuck about what to do next. They post job ads and attract applications but can't decide who or how to progress them. Should they interview a handful of candidates? Schedule a second interview? Or ask them to complete some skills assessments? Who gets the final say?
All of these decisions take time, which is the primary reason employers won't respond to candidates in small and medium-sized companies of up to 1,000 employees, according to Resume Genius. And during this time, candidates assume they’ve been ghosted and move on.
Business needs can shift rapidly, leaving recruiters scrambling to adjust their hiring plans. A role that seemed urgent last week may be put on hold indefinitely, leaving candidates in the dark.
Humans don't like being on the receiving end of rejection, but they don't like dishing it out, either. Recruiters may worry about how candidates will react to not getting the role, fearing backlash or emotional responses. As a result, they wimp out, leaving silence as an indicator of their disinterest.
One of the more depressing truths: some job seekers will apply for roles that don't exist. In a survey of 1,641 hiring managers, 40% admitted to posting a fake job listing to give the illusion the company is growing. It's no surprise that these applicants never hear back about the position.
Candidates regularly engage in ghosting, too. 60% of job seekers say that, since employers ghost job seekers, it's perfectly fair play for them to do the same. The same Indeed report reveals that 78% of candidates have done so between one and four times in the past year. Here's why:
Compensation is a significant factor for any candidate applying for a job, and many will withdraw when the salary doesn't align with their expectations. Many job ads either omit salary details entirely or list unrealistic ranges that don't match the final offer. For example, a candidate may apply for a role advertised as offering £35,000-£50,000, only to learn during the interview that the top end of the range is unattainable.
Other companies use vague or misleading salary ranges to attract applicants, then offer lower compensation during negotiations.
If salary conversations don't match their expectations at any point in the hiring process, this could be a dealbreaker that the candidate doesn't feel warrants further contact.
In a competitive job market, top-calibre candidates may be courting several employers simultaneously. As they progress through the selection process, they end up with multiple offers on the table, choose one, and leave the others hanging.
Slow hiring processes, lack of communication, and minimal employer engagement can make candidates feel undervalued and give an inside look into how they might be treated as an employee. When left waiting too long for updates, many candidates lose faith in the process and decide to move on without explanation. Another comment from a HR data analyst, said:
“I have a ledger where I keep track of every company that ghosted me after applying for a role. If you can act like I don't exist now, imagine how you would treat me if I was your employee. Nothing worse than being an invisible employee at a company.”
Some candidates experience self-doubt and question their qualifications after applying or interviewing for a role. This feeling of inadequacy can overwhelm even the most qualified applicants, leading them to withdraw from the process abruptly rather than risk rejection.
Ghosting may be commonplace in hiring cycles, but it has significant business implications. According to Indeed's research, 89% of businesses claim that ghosting causes problems for them, which may include some of the following:
Candidates who have invested time and energy in the application process are understandably annoyed when a company ghosts them. While many will keep the experience to themselves, others will share it as an outlet for their frustration.
The company that ghosted project manager Kristen J. Anderson was lucky she chose not to name them as she provided details of her experience on social media:
“I had a well-known, globally recognised organisation schedule an interview with me last week and not show. Talk about lack of decorum.”
Other candidates choose to use sites like Ghostedd or Glassdoor to log their negative experiences.
When companies fail to communicate, candidates often assume they've been ghosted and move on to organisations with better communication workflows. This loss of top talent can directly impact business growth and innovation.
Interview panels, recruitment teams, and HR staff invest considerable time in the hiring process. When candidates ghost employers, these resources are wasted. According to Indeed's research, 75% of employers state that ghosting costs up to half their recruitment budget.
When candidates drop out or stop responding, employers often need to restart the recruitment cycle—re-advertising roles, scheduling new interviews, and re-evaluating applicants. This diverts valuable resources from other business priorities. The longer positions remain vacant, the more productivity suffers, leading to operational disruptions and inflated costs.
Ghosting affects critical workforce metrics, particularly time-to-hire and time-to-fill. When candidates disappear during the recruitment process, roles remain vacant longer than expected.
This strains existing teams who must take on additional responsibilities, delaying project timelines and impacting overall business operations. Over time, these disruptions compromise a company's ability to scale, innovate, and meet market demands.
Ghosting is a practice that employers and candidates both engage in, and it's a ball that will keep rolling until either party puts a stop to it. Individual jobseekers may feel powerless to stop being ghosted, but companies are best placed to reduce or eliminate it by embracing the following strategies:
Setting clear expectations on timelines and being proactive in candidate communication—even if there’s no news—can build trust and keep candidates engaged. According to Indeed, 34% of employers say consistent communication is their top strategy to reduce ghosting, yet another 40% of companies admit to having no strategies in place.
Employers should design a seamless recruitment process with well-defined stages, such as:
Each stage should have clear timelines, regular updates, and transparent next steps. Quick decision-making and open communication help move candidates smoothly through the hiring funnel, reducing disinterest and disengagement.
Treat candidates as individuals by balancing automated updates with personalised messages.
You might use automation for routine tasks like confirming receipt of an application or providing immediate test results. Instead, you’ll save personalised, human-crafted messages for more meaningful touchpoints, such as interview invitations, post-interview follow-ups, and addressing specific candidate questions.
Katie Rakusin, Head of Talent Acquisition, says, “One thing I'm a big believer in: the 'no update' update. Even just a quick note to say we're still working through things keeps candidates in the loop and shows you haven't forgotten about them. Building trust and showing respect goes such a long way.”
Ignoring candidates you won’t be progressing is harmful to your employer brand. Instead, provide timely feedback, even if it’s a simple email to let them know they haven’t been selected.
Automated rejection emails for early stages can save time, while personalised messages for later stages show respect for the candidate’s investment in the process.
Jobseekers are less likely to ghost a company if they believe in its employer brand. It takes time to become an employer of choice, so this is a long-term strategy, not a quick fix. However, savvy companies will constantly work behind the scenes to improve their reputation. Some strategies include:
The right recruitment tech stack plays a critical role in modern hiring. While each stack is unique to the hiring team and company, some staples include:
While no single piece of technology can rule out ghosting entirely, a combination of tools can streamline processes, freeing up time for more personal communication. Using the right tech stack, employers can spend less time on admin tasks and more time building meaningful relationships with candidates.
Ghosting is an unpleasant reality in modern recruitment, but it doesn't have to be. Companies that prioritise clear communication, respectful candidate interactions, and efficient processes will stand out in a competitive talent market.
By implementing thoughtful strategies and leveraging the right technology, businesses can reduce ghosting, enhance their employer brand, and secure top talent more effectively.
At Hiring Hub, we believe that a structured, transparent recruitment process benefits everyone. Our platform empowers employers and recruiters to stay on top of every stage of the hiring journey, ensuring no candidate is left in the dark. With controlled application volumes, streamlined communication, and built-in rejection protocols, Hiring Hub helps companies build trust with candidates while securing the best talent faster.
Book a platform introduction below and join us in creating a more respectful, responsive recruitment experience.