As an HR professional, odds are a job candidate has ghosted you. This means that they move along in your recruitment process, then suddenly stop returning your calls, emails, or texts. There may be many reasons for this. For instance, since candidates probably don’t live in the same city as you, they don’t have the risk of running into you. Also, younger candidates may be used to more casual communication forms, including no communication at all. In any case, ghosting costs your company time and money. You lose productivity as the role remains vacant and the value you would have gained by hiring your top candidate. As a result, you need to take action to increase your odds of candidates following through in the recruitment process.

Implement these tips to reduce your odds of being ghosted for interviews.

Build Candidate Relationships   

Begin forming connections with candidates the moment they reach out to your organization. For instance, use various touchpoints to tell your company’s story to help candidates understand its background, culture, and people. This may include using social media to share photos, videos, and stories of your organization, culture, and leadership. During an interview, you might share stories and experiences of employees giving back to the community.

Prioritize Transparency

Place a strong emphasis on transparency throughout your recruitment process. Since many candidates are used to instant access to information, letting them know what your process looks like and setting a time to follow up can keep them moving forward. Also, keeping candidates in the loop about the next steps keep them engaged in the process.  

Discuss Candidate Goals

Find out what each candidate’s goals are. For instance, ask open-ended questions about who they are and what they want to accomplish professionally. This sets the stage for genuine conversations about how you can support them along their career path. It also enhances the relationships you’ve been building. Plus, you gain greater insight into whether the candidates fit with the company culture and your team.  

Ask About Job Offers

Find out whether candidates are interviewing elsewhere or considering other job offers. Let them know it is completely acceptable if they are. Ask candidates to keep you updated if they take a role elsewhere. It’s better to know that they are leaving your recruitment process and why they chose to work elsewhere than to wait around and not receive a response. 

Partner with a Professional Recruitment Agency

Being ghosted by candidates costs your company time and money. You lose out on productivity and the value your top choice for a new hire would have created. By building relationships with candidates, emphasizing transparency, and continuously following up, you increase candidates’ chances of following through during your entire recruitment process.  

Significantly reduce your frequency of being ghosted for interviews by partnering with Arlington Resources. We focus on open communication, cooperation, and teamwork throughout our recruitment process to find the best talent for your team. Learn more today.