August Newsletter | Employer Ghosting: Why It Happens and What You Can Do About It
Employer Ghosting: Why It Happens and What You Can Do About It
With job hopping cooling off and salary bumps shrinking, candidates are more cautious than ever. But even in this climate, one hiring trend hasn’t budged: ghosting. And it’s not just candidates doing it.
It is important to know that ghosting isn’t always a reflection on the candidate. It’s a systemic flaw in how companies hire. And while it feels personal, it’s more often a symptom of broken processes than of broken people.
Let’s unpack the real reasons employers ghost and explore how job seekers can spot the signs, reduce the risk, and perhaps even use the silence to their advantage.
Why Employers Ghost: The Real Reasons
The Role Was Never Real
Many job postings are “ghost jobs” created to signal growth, build pipelines, or satisfy internal policy. Consider these stats:
40% of employers admitted to posting job listings with no intention of filling them.
30% of companies leave ghost listings live even after the role is no longer active.
70% of companies on Greenhouse’s platform posted at least one ghost job in Q2 2024.
15% of companies post ghost jobs regularly as part of their hiring strategy.
So if you have applied to a few dozen jobs that you seem perfectly qualified for and don’t hear back it is quite possible that you have applied to a ghost job.
Candidate Tip: Don’t rely solely on third party sites like Indeed or LinkedIn. Cross-reference postings on company career pages and niche boards. If a role appears inconsistently or has no traction after weeks, it may be a placeholder. Similarly, if the listing uses commonplace jargon to describe the role, or it is only visible on a third party site and not on the employer website it is more likely to be suspicious.
Hiring Is Fragmented and Under-Resourced
Don’t give employers too much credit for having their act together on their candidate flow processes. I hear complaints from my hiring manager and human resources job seeker clients about how dysfunctional their counterparts are on the hiring side.
Hiring managers get frustrated that the recruiting team can’t differentiate between good candidates and total losers while HR teams fume over the fact that hiring managers expect them to be mind readers. In many cases recruiters are paid to fill a pipeline of candidates only to learn that urgency to hire, budget changes, or hiring managers conflicting priorities leave them stuck in the middle knowing that a candidate is being left hanging but having no updates to offer.
Candidate Tip: Try to maintain some power to take initiative on your own if the employer goes radio silent. At each stage of the process be sure to ask: “Who will be my point of contact, and what’s the expected timeline for next steps?” Use thank you notes to reinforce your interest in moving forward along with your commitment to follow up if the agreed upon target date has passed.
Pinning down both ownership and timeframes helps you avoid the awkward position of not knowing whether it is ok to follow up or not.
Avoidance Is Easier Than Rejection
Even seasoned hiring managers avoid awkward conversations. Rejecting a candidate after multiple rounds feels uncomfortable, so they say nothing. Some hope candidates will “take the hint.”
It may be a feeble excuse, but it is important to recognize that some well-intentioned hiring managers may genuinely need help but put off calling because they can’t escape firefighting mode to close the loop in a timely way.
Managers who are overwhelmed truly need team members who are willing to take the initiative to take work off their plate. Don’t miss the chance to prove you are that person. Enthusiasm (not pushiness) is an attribute, so take it on!
Candidate Tip: Reach out to whichever interviewer or internal contact you feel most comfortable with. Rather than being pushy, simply ask for advice: “I’m still very interested in the role. Would it be appropriate to follow up with the recruiter, or has the process shifted?”
This works very, very well if you have an internal connection who was instrumental in your progress but is not directly involved in staffing the position.
Power Imbalance and Cultural Norms
Some orgs still operate under outdated norms: “We’ll contact you if we’re interested.” They don’t see candidates as stakeholders worth updating. This is especially common in high-volume or legacy industries.
Even worse, some employers post jobs and make candidates jump through hoops for nefarious purposes including using the “interview” process to get candidates to work for free or to make existing staff feel like they are looking for more hands on deck when they are truly not.
Candidate Tip: Use review platforms to assess communication norms. If ghosting is a pattern, treat it as a cultural signal and not just a hiring hiccup. For my recommendations for best employer review sites, see my August 2024 newsletter.
A Favorite LinkedIn Testimonial
Maryanne needed to change careers. She was burning out in her role as occupational therapist in a hospital environment where hiring was trending toward per diem work and growth would require an advanced degree. She wanted to move into something that would pay fair wage but that would also involve working with adults, preferably seniors.
During our work together we realized that both Maryanne’s role and environment needed to change. Armed with that clarity, she was able to navigate a two-step career change: first to get out of the hospital environment and shortly thereafter into the senior living industry that was her long-term passion.
Here is what she has said:
“John is very upbeat, knowledgeable and has lots of enthusiasm and positive energy. John was very passionate about helping me and he definitely exceeded my expectations. John is very organized. Every minute spent with him was well spend and productive. He created a plan for me to narrow down a career path that match my skills as well as interest. He definitely made me work, giving homework assignments, but they were all extremely helpful and beneficial in guiding me. I actually interviewed for a position in my last week of working with John and was hired for a new position a few weeks after working with John. I would recommend John to anyone thinking of changing careers or simply searching for a job.”
Job Guy’s Search Tip of the Month
Being ghosted by an employer is usually more about them than you
Ghosting isn’t personal. It’s structural. But how you respond to it can be strategic. Silence from an employer isn’t just a rejection, it’s a reflection. And sometimes, it’s the clearest signal that you’re better off elsewhere.
Trying to control employers’ actions can be a fool’s errand. Instead, focus on what YOU can do to improve your odds:
Understand that ghosting isn’t just a dead end, it’s data. Use it to refine your target list. If a company ghosts you after multiple rounds, ask: Was the role real? Was the process respectful? Would I trust this team with my career? Silence speaks volumes. Sometimes, not getting the job is a win.
Build a follow-up system: Track every application and interview. Set reminders to follow up. If there’s no response, archive it and move on, without emotional residue.
Share your experience (strategically): Ghosting is common but calling it out helps others. Post on LinkedIn or Glassdoor with professionalism: “After three rounds of interviews, I never heard back.” Sharing this helps others, like you, make informed decisions. This isn’t venting, it’s community intelligence. For ultimate professionalism, you can let the employer know that you are an active participant in a community give and take and want to avoid sharing a harsh review if possible.
Ghost-proof your resume. Some ghosting stems from mismatched expectations. Make sure your resume and interview answers align with the role’s actual needs not just its posted description.
The Reputational Risk for Employers
Ghosting isn’t just rude; it’s a branding issue. Candidates remember who ghosted them. They talk. They post. They warn others. In a market where job seekers are cautious, ghosting erodes trust fast.
To learn more about the reasons behind job seekers ghosting employers, check out Job Guy’s August blog post.
