We have all been there…
While browsing LinkedIn a notification pops up for a job nearby. You submit a resume to an awesome local company. It matches your qualifications exactly and you start to get excited.
A day or so later you get an email asking when you would be available for a quick phone call. After talking briefly with the hiring manager they schedule you for a virtual interview with the team.
“You would be a great fit! Can you meet with the team this week? We would like to learn more about you!”
At the virtual interview, you crack a few jokes and thoroughly enjoy speaking with everyone. At the end of the meeting, the hiring manager assures you that they just need one more round of interviews before sending over an offer. They say that an email will be sent tomorrow to confirm the third round invite.
“I’ll send you an email tomorrow to follow up and schedule your last interview! Then we can talk about specifics and the job offer.”
You wait the entire next day in anticipation and no emails arrive. After following up the next day, you still receive no response. Questions start running through your head.
“Did I say something wrong? Was I too confident in the second interview? Did their email systems go down? What really happened?
Unfortunately, you have just experienced one of the most common heartbreaks in a digital job search: Professional Ghosting. This term refers to communication being cut by an employer after applying and being interviewed.
Read on to learn 3 ways to overcome this difficult reality and move on with your search.
1. Know that it’s not you.
The first step to overcoming professional ghosting is to understand that the event is out of your hands. You may be running a bunch of questions through your head, asking what you could have done differently to get the job. Unfortunately, the true answer is that there is little that you may have done to alter the outcome. It is completely understandable to be frustrated and disappointed, but take heart in knowing that this is normal in a digital job search.
“According to a study by Indeed, 28% of candidates are ghosted by employers and 76% of employers were ghosted by candidates in 2021. This is a rapid increase from previous years, as only 18% of candidates were ghosted in 2020.”
When doing the math, this means that around 1 in 4 candidates are ghosted for any given position. This data also shows that the pandemic has greatly increased professional ghosting not only for candidates but for employers as well. At the end of the day, blame can be placed on pretty much anything from the pandemic to digital platforms or ATS systems. Regardless, this frustrating action is now extremely normal and to be expected in any job search. Remember that the first thing to know is that it’s not you, it’s them.
It is also okay to be angry and disappointed! Remember that you are human and that professional ghosting can be brutal, especially when you have already interviewed with a company.
This being said, don’t let ghosting derail your search.
The best way to overcome ghosting is to move on and continue your job search!
2. Apply to Other Jobs and Gain Perspective.
Remember that taking time for your emotions is extremely important. After having sufficient time to heal and vent your frustrations, keep applying and get excited about other jobs! One of the best ways to overcome professional ghosting is to keep applying. Remember that a typical job search will involve a lot of applications and a decent amount of ghosting. It can be difficult to stay motivated, but here are some statistics to keep your thoughts in perspective.
“It takes between 100 to 200 job applications to get one job offer.”
In terms of overall volume, normally a large amount of applications are required to secure a single job offer. This will vary depending on the industry and candidate in question, but expect to send out a lot of applications that you will not hear back from.
“The average amount of time to find a job is 24 weeks.”
In other words, an average job search will take around 6 months. It may be hard to accept the fact that you could be unemployed for such a long period, but remember that it is to be expected. With the pandemic, this statistic is only increasing with each month, so remember to go easy on yourself!
A digital job search can be extremely tough, particularly with the ongoing pandemic. The most important thing to remember is to never give up. If you are professionally ghosted, always remember to get back to applying.
It may be difficult but after you receive a great new job offer, it will all be worth it.
3. Refrain from Negative Actions.
After processing the pain from professional ghosting and moving on with your job search, remember to refrain from any negative actions. It can be extremely tempting to tell the company off on social media or write them a bad review. While this may provide a temporary catharsis, it is not a good strategy for a long term job search. Here are some consequences that you should keep in mind.
Consequences of Negative Job Search Actions
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Corporate Blacklisting- If you are working with a company and share negative thoughts or attack the hiring manager on social media, you may be blacklisted by their HR department. This would mean that you are banned from any other opportunities at the company.
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Poor Online Image- After posting an angry comment on Facebook about a perspective employer, these words will come up in a Google search. Prospective employers may look you up and see these comments. Unfortunately, this could increase your chances of being rejected from a completely different company.
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Destroyed Connections- If a hiring manager finds out about negative actions, they will surely alert their connections about the experience. If they are very involved in your field of choice, this could cause unforeseen difficulties later in your career.
Remember, it is totally understandable to be frustrated. However, there can be many unforeseen consequences from acting poorly. Always take the high road and don’t let it impact you!
Better opportunities are right around the corner. Just keep going!
Have you experienced professional ghosting? Let us know on Instagram and let’s talk!
