As the strong economy and low unemployment rate continue to make it difficult for companies to hire the best technology professionals, some candidates are simply not showing up for interviews or even ignoring contact afterwards.
The practice is known as ghosting, and it raises the stress levels for HR teams at IT organizations. It simply causes businesses to spend more time and resources hoping to make that perfect hire. Let’s take a closer look at some of the reasons behind the practice of ghosting. Hopefully, your organization won’t encounter this unprofessionalism in the future. Either way, use these insights to help protect against it happening the next time you are looking for talent.
Ghosting Becomes More Prevalent in the Business World
According to the Washington Post, candidates – and employees – are ghosting U.S. businesses at a rate 10 to 20 percent higher than the previous year. It’s also on the increase all over the world. With a historically low unemployment rate, apparently, technology workers feel this unprofessional behavior won’t harm their chances at their next gig.
Whatever the underlying reasons for ghosting, companies need to take a few extra steps to ensure the problem doesn’t hamper the productivity of their staffing process.
Fostering a Positive Candidate Experience
You need to keep the candidate pool informed throughout your company’s hiring process – especially those you plan on interviewing. Even if this adds effort to the workload of your HR team – especially if you don’t use an applicant tracking system – it’s an approach that puts your organization in the best possible light. If a candidate doesn’t hear from your company a few weeks after an interview, don’t be surprised if they aren’t available once an offer is made.
Additionally, if they stop replying to your emails, a friendly follow-up message to gauge their continued interest helps keep everyone informed.
Focus on the Candidate’s Goals
Throughout the hiring process, especially during an interview, spend time finding out about the candidate’s goals for their career path. Explain how your company makes a great fit for their professional dreams. This approach is somewhat of a shift compared to the past, but remember it’s a candidate-driven market out there.
In short, strong communication, a welcoming company culture, and a candidate-focused recruiting process helps keep the effects of ghosting to a minimum.
Are you looking for top IT experts to add to your team?
If you need additional advice on building a great team at your company, speak with the experts at The CERES Group. As one of the top technical staffing agencies in New England, we provide the great candidates able to make a positive impact for you. Schedule some time with us soon.
