In 2024, it can sometimes feel as if ‘ghosting’ is the new norm. Ghosting refers to a variety of things related to cutting off communication with someone, but in the world of recruiting and hiring, “ghosting” is more commonly heard regarding someone not showing up for an interview. And this can happen on both the candidate side as well as the hiring side.

As a recruiting partner with Goodwin Recruiting since 2022, I’ve come to learn a thing or two about confirming interviews beforehand and different ways to prevent the dreaded ‘ghosting’. Here is my best advice to help you set yourself up for success in doing the same.

Use Technology to Your Advantage

Technology has come a long way in helping to simplify scheduling meetings. A popular (and free) option is Calendly – as described on their website, “Calendly is the courteous way to book meetings and other appointments, because scheduling with just a few clicks makes the most of everyone’s time.”

Using a tech tool like this will allow others to grab time on your calendar, saving the back and forth of determining what day and time everyone is free. Another good practice to reduce candidate ghosting or interviewer no-shows is to utilize reminder notifications, where meeting attendees can be notified in advance – for example, a day before as well as an hour before a meeting’s start time.

Maintain Strong Communication

Communication is a two-way street, and the more clearly you define next steps, the better success you’ll find. Be sure to communicate regularly via whatever way works best for everyone – whether that be via email, text messages, LinkedIn, or messaging through other social media platforms.

I’ve found that it’s a great practice to send a reminder the morning of an interview, along with any relevant instructions to attend the meeting (how to download Zoom, address details if meeting in person, etc.). As recruiters, it’s helpful to utilize an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to keep tabs on all the moving pieces of the interview process, and afterwards, to call or send a follow-up email with realistic next steps and timelines. Each company has their own timelines when it comes to their recruitment process, and as recruiters, our goal is to keep candidates and hiring managers on the same page.

Simplify Your Interview Process

The less steps in your job interview process, the less opportunities there are to be ghosted. Really think through the candidate experience – from the job description to the application process, the interviews themselves all the way to the job offer and onboarding process for new hires. Are there any opportunities to simplify? A simplified interview process has many benefits, as outlined in this article: 8 Steps for Creating Urgency in Winning the Best Talent

“How many is too many when it comes to the people responsible for making hiring decisions? Collaborative decision-making is essential to ensuring your internal stakeholders get the right people for their open positions – but too many decision-makers can create a time lag. To ensure a well-rounded yet time-efficient evaluation of potential candidates, involve the minimum number of deciders in your hiring process, such as hiring managers, team leaders, and the appropriate HR representatives.”

Treat Others with Respect

Candidates, Hiring Managers, and Recruiters alike all want to be treated with respect. No matter what piece of the process you fall within, if you’re unable to make it to a scheduled interview, the best thing to do is to tell the other party ahead of time. This Indeed article shares some staggering statistics around the rise of ghosting in interviews, including that, “as of 2023, 62% of job seekers say they plan to ghost during future job searches. This number is up from 56% in 2022 and just 37% in 2019.” 

The growth of that percentage in such a short period of time is alarming! As a recruiter, I’ve seen many candidates lose out on great opportunities due to ghosting on an interview. I’ve also seen many strong candidates who realize that showing up for a scheduled interview is incredibly important. There is tremendous value in responding to recruiters and hiring managers, as you’re creating a positive impression of yourself for future potential jobs.

Use a Recruiting Firm to Simplify Your Hiring Process

Partnering with a trusted recruiting firm is an effective way to reduce the number of interviews your team is ghosted on. Goodwin Recruiting has been around since 1999 and has a nationwide network of candidates. We can find the active and passive job seekers your talent acquisition team is after, the ones proven to be reliable communicators and who can have a tremendously positive impact on your business for years to come. To learn more about working with Goodwin Recruiting for your hiring needs, reach out today.