It’s an all too common scenario for hiring managers: you find a top prospect and start the interviewing and hiring process…only for them to ghost you and suddenly stop returning your messages. While there are times when this will be completely out of your control (i.e., the candidate is just unreliable), if it becomes too regular of an occurrence, it’s time to do an objective assessment. If candidates are ghosting you, try these tips for fixing it:   

Streamline the Hiring Process 

Ideally, candidates should know exactly how the hiring process will progress, so they know what to expect. Otherwise, you may be in between stages and making decisions on who advances, while the candidates assume they haven’t made it through and then move on. Streamline your hiring process to include as few steps as possible while still being thorough. And most importantly – let candidates know upfront exactly how your hiring process goes (i.e., phone screening, initial round of interviews, then a final panel interview) to decrease the chances of them ghosting you.   

Be More Responsive 

Candidates are busy just like you and may be juggling multiple prospective opportunities. If you don’t prioritize being responsive to them, such as answering inquiries or setting up interview slots in a timely manner, they may feel disrespected and write you off. Make it a point to get in touch with candidates as quickly as possible and give them updates throughout every step of the process regarding the timeline.  

Craft an Informative Job Description  

A common reason behind candidate ghosting is because they felt the initial job description was misleading once they interviewed and learned more about it. This is yet another reason why it is so important to be intentional as you craft your job descriptions. While you certainly want to “sell” the job and make it sound appealing, it’s crucial to also be realistic about the duties and what it takes to succeed in the role – you may get fewer applicants, but they will be more likely to be a good fit. 

Make a Faster Decision  

Top talent is in demand, so you must have a system in place to make thoughtful decisions with a quick turnaround. If it gets drawn out in bureaucracy, your number one candidate may have already accepted another job offer in the meantime. Clarify the most important stakeholders in the hiring decision, develop objective criteria for quicker evaluation, and set strict deadlines on deliberation.  

We Can Help You Find Top Talent 

If you continue to experience challenges in finding committed candidates, expand your prospect pool by turning to PrideStaff San Jose. Our recruiting and staffing experts can quickly and effectively provide you the most qualified candidates for your positions. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help with your staffing needs.