Strategies for Reducing Candidate Ghosting

Too many posts here about ghosting candidates. It's 2025. Modern ATSs make it incredibly easy to close the loop with everyone. If we can't even master sending rejections with all these tools available, how can we talk about innovating on candidate experience? 1. Ghosting isn't politeness. It's P&L. I see the real cost of ghosting every day. Companies with poor employer brands pay 10% more per hire. On 50 hires at $100K salaries, that's $500K burned annually just because people talk. Your rejected candidates don't disappear. They become your competitors' employees. They steer referrals away. They warn their networks. Every ghosted candidate is a small tax on your future hiring. 2. The tools exist. Most companies just don't use them. Every modern ATS has bulk actions, templates, automation. We see companies handle thousands of rejections in hours, not weeks. Yet 36% of candidates report waiting months for any response. That wait time kills your pipeline. Companies that respond within 5 days see 32% reapply rates. Companies that don't? 28%. That 4% gap compounds every quarter into a smaller, weaker talent pool. 3. Speed changes everything. IBM studied this extensively. Satisfied candidates are 38% more likely to accept offers. Read that again. You could increase your acceptance rate by over a third just by not ghosting. Faster responses correlate with higher acceptance. It's not complicated. When you respect candidates' time, they're more likely to respect your offer. 4. Just publish your timeline. Here's what we tell everyone: "Application receipt: same day. Initial screen: 5 business days. Post-interview: 48 hours. Role closed: everyone notified within 24 hours." Put it on your careers page. Put it in job posts. Then actually do it. Companies that publish and meet SLAs see measurably better outcomes across every metric that matters. The real cost isn't the 18 hours per quarter (estimate) it takes to send rejections. It's the compound effect of turning 1,400+ quarterly applicants into either advocates or detractors. Referrals drive 20-40% of most hires. Bad experiences kill referral intent. Do the math on what that means for your next five years of hiring. Modern tools eliminated every excuse. Now it's just a choice.

United Airlines has been my airline of choice since they merged with Continental, and it's one of the few brands that has my absolutely loyalty as a customer. And currently, they are having success with "oversharing" around their delays - and it's working with greater customer satisfaction since implementing this strategy. This is something I've noticed in recent months. Looking at my texts, I can see where they let me know that we'd be delayed due to limits on the number of flights allowed to land due to construction at SFO. Another was a technical issue, with regular updates on their efforts to find a new plane. Most travelers know that delays are part of the game, and often outside of the control of airlines. I don't think most of us are unreasonable when faced with delays. The issue is often the lack of information - not knowing why the delay exists, what's being done about it, and estimates on when the issue will be resolved. Recruiting professionals out there, take note because we can learn something from this when it comes to candidate experience. Transparency builds trust, and it leads to a better experience for everyone involved. 1. Embrace the "no update update" Sometimes, just being told you need a bit more time to review an application or have scheduled all of the interviews needed can alleviate a lot of anxiety vs someone applying and sitting in an applicant pool for weeks or months on end! At Zapier, we try to communicate every 7 days...we may miss the mark sometimes, but our hope is that candidates are never wondering where they stand. 2. Share "the why" Airlines have always let us know when there's a delay - that's not new. But sharing the "why" behind it is. That can feel scary, especially if the news is something like, "we've extended an offer, but think you're amazing and if it doesn't pan out, we'd love to hire you". But candidates ultimately appreciate it, AND it shows them they can trust what your company tells them. Offering feedback after interviews is another way to do this and leave people feeling a less confused around rejections. 3. Tell people what to expect Let candidates know who they are interviewing with. Let them know what topics will be discussed. Tell them how you plan to set their compensation. The more information you can provide candidates, the better the experience will be for everyone. If any of these seem hard, there are tons of tools out there that can help. candidate.fyi creates a candidate hub making it easy to share this info directly with candidates (and empower candidates in a variety of other ways). Crosschq provides an arsenal of data, and one of my favorites is color-coding candidates so you can see when a candidate needs communication. And most decent ATSs will help you automate those "no update updates". It doesn't take significantly more effort to create a significantly better candidate experience - just lean into transparency!

The recruiter was visibly shocked when I told her what I planned to do with rejected candidates. "Why do you want to do that?" she asked. I convinced her it was one of the most valuable parts of the hiring process. I had just finished a series of interviews with promising candidates. I spent time with 3 or 4 of them and they had several rounds with others. Obviously, only one would get the job. When I told the internal recruiter I'd be calling each of them personally to share the news that they didn't get the role, she was surprised. Her: "It's ok, I do that all the time. It's part of my job." Me: "No, it's part of my job." For her, it was unusual. For me, it's non-negotiable. If I've spoken with someone 2x or more and I'm the hiring manager, they get a personal call from me when we decide not to move forward. Not an email. Not a text. Not a call from recruiting. From me. This isn't about being nice. It's about understanding what's at stake and respecting the human behind the resume. People often invest hours preparing for interviews. They research your company, practice answers, and often rearrange their schedule to make time. Many are quietly hoping this could be their next career chapter. The standard approach of ghosting candidates or sending template rejections is a process designed to avoid "tough conversations" not for the candidates to have a good experience. Why I do these calls: 1. It shows you truly valued their time and effort - A call communicates authentic appreciation in ways an email never can. You can express nuance about difficult decisions and provide tailored feedback that would feel generic in writing. It leaves candidates feeling respected, not just processed. 2. It builds long-term relationships despite rejection - People remember how you deliver disappointing news this helps you and the company. I've hired candidates for different roles because our relationship remained positive. Others have referred friends who were better fits. Rejection doesn't have to end the relationship if handled with just basic respect. 3. You gain invaluable candid feedback - People speak more openly when there's nothing at stake. One candidate compared our interview process to our top competitors in detail - insights we never would have gained otherwise. The interesting part? These calls are rarely as uncomfortable as you'd expect. Yes, they take a little time but honestly not that much - most calls are 5-10 minutes. In a world where automation is replacing human interaction, these moments of genuine interaction matter more, not less. What's your take - good habit or waste of time?

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." – Walt Disney The hiring landscape is evolving, and candidates have more choices than ever. Yet, many hiring managers are facing a frustrating challenge: candidates ghosting mid-process. So, why is this happening, and how can you turn it around? Here are 3 key reasons candidates are disengaging and practical ways to keep them invested: 1️⃣ Lengthy Hiring Timelines Candidates are moving fast—your process should too. Simplify interviews and cut decision-making delays to avoid losing top talent. 2️⃣ Lack of Communication Silence isn’t golden in hiring. Frequent updates, even when there’s no major news, make candidates feel valued and respected. 3️⃣ Mismatched Expectations Be transparent about salary, job responsibilities, and growth opportunities from the start. Clarity builds trust. In today’s competitive market, the candidate experience matters as much as the job offer. 🔑 Remember: How you treat candidates during the hiring process reflects your company’s values. 💬 What strategies have worked for you to keep candidates engaged? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Let’s collaborate to navigate the “war for talent” together. #Recruitment #TalentAcquisition #HiringTrends

🚨 STOP GHOSTING CANDIDATES. IT IS COSTING YOU MORE THAN YOU THINK. 🚨 You have been there. A candidate pours their time and energy into your interview process, only to be met with radio silence at the end. But here is what most hiring teams do not realize: Ghosting is not just rude, it is expensive. Here is how: - Reputation Damage Candidates talk. Sites like Glassdoor and LinkedIn amplify bad experiences. One ignored email can cost you top-tier applicants down the road. - Lower Offer Acceptance Rates If your process is disorganized, candidates will assume your company is too. They will take an offer from a company that respects their time. - Lost Revenue A poor candidate experience equals fewer referrals, slower hiring, and lost productivity. It is a ripple effect that impacts your bottom line. So what is the fix? Simple. Close the loop. ✅ Automate rejection emails with a personal touch. ✅ Provide feedback even if it is just a short note. ✅ Set expectations upfront. “If you do not hear from us by [date], reach out.” The best recruiters know this. Every candidate is a potential future hire, customer, or advocate. Treat them that way. 💡 Have you ever been ghosted in a hiring process? What was your takeaway? 🔁 Know a recruiter or hiring manager who needs to hear this? Repost this to spread the message. #CandidateExperience #HiringBestPractices #RecruitingTips #EmployerBranding #TalentAcquisition