Latest / Hiring & Firing with Fexingo: Recruitment, Performance, and Workforce Decisions / When a Job Candidate Ghosts You Mid-Process
Transcript
- Lucas: So I want to talk about something that's been driving hiring managers absolutely crazy over the last couple years — candidates just disappearing mid-process. Luna: You mean ghosting. Candidates ghosting employers. Lucas: Exactly. And it's not just a few isolated cases. A 2025 survey from Indeed found that 38 percent of job seekers admitted to ghosting an employer at some point during the application or interview process. Luna: That's more than a third. I've definitely had friends who've done it. Usually because they got a better offer and just didn't know how to say no. Lucas: Right. And that's one of the top reasons. But let's break down the data a bit. The same survey asked why candidates ghost. The number one reason was 'I got another job offer.' About 42 percent cited that. Luna: So they take another offer and just vanish. No thanks, no withdrawal. Just silence. Lucas: Yeah. Second most common reason — 31 percent — was that the hiring process took too long. They got frustrated and moved on. And third, about 27 percent said they received a counteroffer from their current employer that they couldn't refuse. Luna: So part of this is on employers. If you drag a process out for weeks, candidates lose interest or get snapped up. Lucas: Exactly. And there's a really interesting case study from a mid-size SaaS company called ProcessFirst — about 300 employees. They were seeing a ghosting rate of about 22 percent in their mid-stage interviews — you know, after the first call but before the final round. Luna: That's a huge leak in the funnel. Lucas: Huge. So they did something pretty simple. They started sending personalized video updates after each interview stage. Not a generic email, but a 60-second video from the hiring manager saying, 'Hey, we really liked your take on X, here's what's next.' They cut their ghosting rate to under 9 percent within three months. Luna: That's a 60 percent reduction. And it's just basic communication. Making the candidate feel seen. Lucas: Exactly. And that ties into something else the survey found — 22 percent of ghosters said they didn't feel the employer was genuinely interested in them. They felt like just another resume in the pile. Luna: So there's a clear fix. But I also want to push back a little. Sometimes companies deserve to be ghosted. If the process is disrespectful — like asking for five rounds of interviews or giving a take-home assignment that takes 20 hours — candidates have every right to walk. Lucas: I think that's fair. And look, ghosting goes both ways. Employers ghost candidates all the time. You apply, you hear nothing. Or you interview and then radio silence for two weeks. Luna: Right. So we're talking about a two-way street. But when a candidate ghosts after you've invested time and energy, it stings. Lucas: It does. And I think the key takeaway here is that most ghosting is preventable. Not all — sometimes you just get a better offer and it's awkward. But if you're seeing high ghosting rates, look in the mirror. Luna: What about the counteroffer situation? Can employers do anything about that? Lucas: Some companies are starting to proactively discuss that in interviews. They ask, 'If you receive a counteroffer, how would you handle it?' And they set expectations early. It's not foolproof, but it opens the door. Luna: That's smart. I've also seen companies offer a small signing bonus that's paid out quickly — like within the first month — to disincentivize candidates from entertaining counteroffers. Lucas: Yeah, that's a thing. But the core issue is speed and communication. If you treat candidates like valued partners in a process, they're less likely to disappear. Luna: You know, this show is exactly the kind of conversation that has helped me think differently about hiring. And it's ad-free, which I really appreciate because nothing kills a good podcast flow like a mattress commercial. Lucas: Right. And we keep it that way intentionally. If these conversations have helped you in your work, and you want to support the ad-free approach, the easiest way is buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, just if it's added value for you. Luna: Yeah. And it keeps us free from outside influence. Now, back to ghosting — I want to talk about the one thing that surprised me most in that survey. Lucas: What's that? Luna: That 18 percent of ghosters said they didn't even think it was a big deal. They saw it as normal. That suggests we've normalized ghosting in the job market. Lucas: That's a cultural shift. And it's not just candidates. I've had recruiters ghost me after I referred someone. It's become a low-friction behavior because there's no accountability. Luna: So what's the solution on a bigger scale? Should we make ghosting a professional taboo? Lucas: I think it starts with employers modeling the behavior they want. If you're responsive and respectful, candidates are more likely to reciprocate. And also, set shorter timelines. If you know you can make a decision in a week, say that upfront. Luna: Speed as a cure for ghosting. I like that. Lucas: Let me give you a concrete number. The same Indeed survey found that 52 percent of candidates said they would be less likely to ghost if the employer communicated a clear timeline within the first interview. That's huge. Luna: So just telling someone, 'Here's our process, it'll take about two weeks, you'll hear from us by Friday' — that alone cuts ghosting in half. Lucas: Potentially. And I think there's another angle — the 'silent rejection' problem. Some candidates ghost because they assume they didn't get the job and don't want to face the rejection. They'd rather just fade out. Luna: So employers need to make it easy to withdraw gracefully. Like a one-click 'withdraw application' button. Lucas: Exactly. And some applicant tracking systems now have that. But most don't. So candidates feel like the only way out is to stop responding. Luna: One last thing — what about the impact on the company's reputation? If you're known as a place where candidates ghost, that becomes part of your employer brand. Lucas: Absolutely. And it's a negative signal. Future candidates hear, 'Oh, they ghosted my friend.' So investing in the candidate experience is investing in your brand. Luna: Alright, so the takeaway: communicate clearly, move fast, and make it easy for candidates to say no gracefully. Lucas: And if you're a candidate listening — please, just send a two-line email. 'Thanks for the opportunity, I'm withdrawing.' It takes 30 seconds and it makes everyone's life easier. Luna: I think we can all agree on that.