Ghostinf

Ghosting - In the past it was: going out for a quick cigarette and today: leaving the other person sitting on two blue hooks.

For those of you who don't know about ghosting yet:
First of all, congratulations!
Because this is the complete breakdown of contact and communication without any notice.

The term was originally used in dating. You can probably imagine what it means. However, ghosting has also found its way into the world of work for quite some time.

So the phenomenon as such is nothing new. Recruiters and HR managers have earned a reputation over the past decades for not responding to messages or applications.
With the flood of applications they used to have to deal with, there simply wasn't the time or the technology to cope with the paperwork and then reject each one individually.

What the heck, as we all know, no answer is an answer.

However, the tables have now turned.
It's the applicants who are going underground and no longer responding to messages.
The results of a survey of a job board showed that 90% of the recruiters questioned had already been ghosted by applicants.
18% even after they had already received an acceptance!

Well, the balance of power has completely changed.

But why? Why are job options not pursued in a binding and serious manner? What is the motivation for starting an application process or dialogue and not pursuing it?

Two possibilities are:

✖️It's solely to check out the market value out there.
✖️Generate enough negotiating leverage for a counter offer.

OR BUT.

The application process is too bad!

❌️Communication.
❌️Commitment
❌️Feedback
❌️Response time

People just don't feel like moving on.

Digital communication makes it possible, and the anonymity of the Internet ensures that no close ties are formed for the time being.

The whole thing is a dilemma that we unfortunately can't get a grip on.

But why not?
Who is to blame here?
The disloyal applicants or the incompetent employers who are simply unable to retain people?