Start a management degree at American Public University. |
By Dr. Marie Gould Harper
Program Director, Management, American Public University
A few weeks ago, I was involved in a lively conversation regarding ghosting on the job. I am the first to admit that I had never heard of the term. Therefore, I had no idea that this practice was on the rise.
What Is Ghosting?
Chip Cutter, Editor at Large at LinkedIn, says ghosting is when “job candidates schedule interviews only to never show, no reason given. People accept jobs and clear background checks only to not appear on the first day, again, not saying a word.”
The practice is driving employers crazy. Why? Companies invest a good deal of time and money in hiring, only to find their top choices disappearing into the night as the process comes to a close and they are the desired choice.
Thanks to ghosting, the recruiting cycle becomes even more expensive. It doesn’t help when you recruit the wrong candidate in a tight labor force.
Among the younger generations, ghosting is part of a new vocabulary in which “no response is a response,” Amanda Bradford told Cutter. “That same behavior is happening in the job market,” added Bradford, the founder and CEO of The League, a dating app.
Employers Now Overbook Interviews to Combat Ghosting
To combat ghosting, recruiters and company HR staffs are overbooking interviews. They are scheduling interviews with the understanding that a large percentage of the recruits will not show up or drop out of the process at some point.
Another option is prolonging the interview process until a candidate is hired. The idea is to not stop interviewing candidates until your desired choice has actually started the job.
I was surprised to hear that this obviously rude behavior is considered new because ghosting was practiced years ago. Many seasoned recruiters understood the concept (often attributed to famed baseball player Yogi Berra) that “It’s not over until it is over.” So how can we say that this practice is new and on the rise?
In Today’s Tight Labor Market, Candidates Are Being Selective about Their Employers
Everything occurs in cycles. We have gone through a period when it was an employers’ market with potential candidates having to impress companies. However, the tables have turned. Candidates are being selective and organizations now complain of a tight labor market. Also, prospective employees are weighing their options regarding what they consider a “career.”
Those employees don’t easily hop on a job train just because it is in the station. It’s no longer about working for “that impressive organization.” Instead, job hunters are considering how the move will benefit them overall.
Here are some questions employees consider when deciding on a new job:
1) What kinds of benefits are being offered?
2) Does the employer permit working remotely to balance work-life demands?
3) What opportunities will there be for growth?
Why Benefits, Working Remotely and Growth Opportunities Attract Employees
With regard to benefits, employees have recognized that having an impressive starting salary only means so much if they do not take into consideration their cost of living, the types of benefits offered, and the co-pays and deductibles for the perks such as health insurance. New employees can find themselves in a bad financial position if they do not know this information before accepting the offer.
Similarly, working remotely contributes to an employee’s work-life balance. More employees, especially younger workers, acknowledge the value of a quality life and opportunities to control how they balance their lives.
More individuals are seeking organizations that have “matured” to the level of trusting their employees to work remotely, completing appropriate tasks and responsibilities by their deadlines. These employers value their employees’ skill sets and believe they will come through when the chips are down.
These companies are not insecure babysitters worried about what their workers are doing every second of the day. Completion of the task versus accountability for every second of the day is what counts. The focal point is whether or not the employee is productive, not his or her geographical location.
Another characteristic of a “mature” company is its acceptance that an employee may not stay for a long period of time. Rather, there is a mutual agreement that candidates will come on board and share their expertise to advance the organization for an unspecified amount of time. Those candidates enjoy professional growth and do not pledge allegiance to stay at the organization for a long period of time. Again, the focus is on “Can the employee produce?”
Some Candidates Ghost Employers Because They Don’t Know What to Do
I believe “ghosting” is unprofessional. However, I also believe that some candidates reach a point of exasperation, perhaps because the prospective employer wants an immediate yes or no to the job offer or behaves in a way that the candidate interprets as harassment or bullying.
It’s also possible the candidate has received another job offer that seems better or was put off by something that happened during the interview process. In that situation, the candidate doesn’t know how to gracefully back out of the earlier offer, becomes uncomfortable about confronting the employer and can’t take the pressure about letting that employer down. As a result, the candidate just silently disappears.
About the Author
Dr. Marie Gould Harper is the Program Director of Management at American Public University. She holds an undergraduate degree in psychology from Wellesley College, a master’s degree in instructional systems from Pennsylvania State University and a doctorate in business from Capella University. She is a progressive coach, facilitator, writer, strategist and human resources/organizational development professional with more than 30 years of leadership, project management, and administrative experience. Dr. Gould Harper has worked in both corporate and academic environments.
Dr. Gould Harper is an innovative thinker and influential leader, manifesting people skills, a methodical approach to problems, organizational vision and ability to inspire followers. She is committed to continuous improvement in organizational effectiveness and human capital development, customer service and the development of future leaders.
Comments are closed.