How to minimise being ghosted

Ever been caught in the recruitment Bermuda Triangle? You know, when a recruiter or HR specialist hooks you with an exciting job opportunity, promises to follow up, and then mysteriously vanishes into thin air? Or how about that nerve-racking interview where you invest time and energy, only to be greeted with silence and left wondering if the company has mastered the art of disappearing acts? Welcome to the dark side of modern recruitment, my friend. It truly sucks.

But with every dark side, there is some light, and this article will shed a very simple process in which you can adopt and hopefully minimise being ghosted. 

Now, before we unveil our magical steps, let's be clear—recruiters aren't immune to being ghosted either. We know the feeling all too well. That's why we've crafted this simple process that has dramatically increased our response rate, so if it works for us, it can work for you!

So, why does this ghosting phenomenon happen in the first place?

Imagine this: the recruitment process resembles a chain of command. You submit your CV to the recruiter, who then passes it to the hiring manager. The hiring manager may involve their team, leading to a continuous exchange between the team and the manager, with the recruiter stuck in the middle. Phew!

As the number of individuals involved, including HR, increases, the process becomes longer and more complex. Delays can occur when the hiring manager is overwhelmed and unable to share your CV with the team, or when team members are on vacation without the knowledge of the hiring manager.

And here's the kicker: when feedback is sluggish and there's nothing to report, your dedicated recruiter may unintentionally forget to update you or find themselves just as unaware of the progress. It's a communication conundrum.

The same goes for interview feedback. If you're left in the dark, it's often because your recruiter or HR contact hasn't received any feedback themselves. Sure, we believe a simple update could keep you in the loop, but not everyone thinks like that. Sometimes your contact is drowning in work or shackled by KPIs that prioritize transactional business (references, anyone?). Pssst, a pro tip: consider interviewing your recruiter to see if they're up to task—they're your representative, after all!

Now, let's unveil our three-step process for coaxing feedback out of the shadows… mind you, this process includes four emails in total:

1. The enchanting "Thank You" note (1-2 hours post-interview)

2. Follow-up 1: The gentle prod (3-5 days post-interview)

3. Follow-up 2: The patient nudge (6-10 days post-interview)

4. Final follow-up: The grand finale (your decision)

Ideally, you won't need all three follow-ups, but keep the grand finale in your back pocket, just in case but more on that later. Are you ready to master the art of follow-up?

The enchanting "Thank You" note (1-2 hours post-interview)

Nice and simple, express post meeting in a positive manner your thoughts. Draw something specific from the interview to highlight your interest but also ability to listen. Encourage the next steps by asking what they are.

Follow-up 1 (3-5 days post-interview):

Send a friendly email to your recruiter or HR contact 3-5 days after the interview. It's the perfect window for feedback to materialise and a gentle reminder for your contact to nudge things along. Keep the email positive and open-ended, leaving the door wide open.

Follow-up 2 (6-10 days post-interview):

Send your second follow-up 6-10 days after the interview, making sure to space it out at least four days from your first prod. This email maintains its professional tone, giving your contact the benefit of the doubt for any possible delays. Feel free to share an update on your other processes to keep the momentum going.

Final follow-up (your decision):

The final follow-up is up to you, so choose your timing wisely. This email serves as your ultimatum, if you will. If you decide to send it, be prepared to part ways with the company if they fail to respond. We recommend sending it around 4-5 days after the second follow-up, roughly two weeks post-interview. After two weeks of silence, it's time to take control. This email maintains professionalism but sets a deadline for a response before you personally bow out. It's your final act.

And there you have it! You can use this format for CV feedback as well, with a few tweaks, of course. We hope that armed with a better understanding of the ghosting phenomenon and armed with these simple tricks; you'll be better equipped for future encounters with the vanishing act of recruiters and company’s.

As always if you feel someone could benefit from reading this, please share so we can collectively bring simplicity to the chaos of recruitment.

Peritus Partners is a next generation recruitment team that focuses on blending education, business and community together. Interested to see how we can help find the best talent for your team or interested in finding a new job? Reach out today 😎