Ghosting

Ghosting comes from dating, and it means the same thing here: one side just disappears. A candidate doesn't show up to the interview and never answers the phone again. Or an employer receives an application, maybe even does two interviews, and then the candidate never hears anything back.

Employers complain a lot about candidates ghosting them, but it's worth being honest that it goes both ways, and candidates often learned it from employers. When a process is slow, vague or silent, people stop waiting. They take the other offer and don't feel like they owe you an explanation.

The fix on your side is mostly speed and clarity. Reply fast after someone applies, tell people what the next step is and when it happens, and always close the loop, even with a no. A quick, honest rejection costs you a minute, and it keeps that person open to hearing from you later.

Example

A candidate applies on Monday. Nobody calls until the following Wednesday. By then she's had two interviews somewhere else and stops answering. The company calls it candidate ghosting. But looking at their own process, they find the real problem is the nine-day silence, so they set a rule that every applicant gets a personal reply within one working day.