The ripple effect – understanding the impact of ghosting a recruiter

Ghosting was once a term primarily associated with personal relationships, but as time has gone on it has become more common in the professional world. It is a phenomenon where individuals abruptly cut off communication with someone without explanation. When it comes to ghosting a recruiter, it is essential to understand that this action can have a significant impact – not only on the recruiter and their client but potentially for your own professional reputation and the broader job market. 

Consider –

Impact on the Recruiter

• Time and effort – RC’s invest significant time and effort into sourcing, screening and interviewing candidates. When a candidate who has gone through the process disappears all the effort put in goes to waste and causes frustration
• Missed opportunities – Ghosting can lead to missed opportunities for both the RC and you as they may have another opportunity come in that is perfect for you, but they won’t call you as you ghosted them the last time.

Impact on your professional reputation

• Burned bridges – Ghosting often leaves a negative impression and burning bridges with recruiters or companies can sometimes limit your opportunities in the long run as the job market is surprisingly connected.
• Word of Mouth – The recruitment network is tight as people talk and share experiences – and often repeat ghosting can lead to challenges in the future when looking to work with a RC.
• Internal systems – Most Recruitment companies have a CRM system that the work with and all notes and interactions are stored there (normally used for measuring performance and results) but it means there is a history that can be accessed and could impact future interactions with a new RC in an organisation.

Impact on the broader job market

• More stringent processes – as ghosting happens more often you may find that agencies adopt a more cautious and stricter screening processes leading to increased scrutiny for all candidates – making the job hunt process more challenging for all.
• Lost trust – the trust between a candidate is crucial to drive a smooth and seamless hiring process – ghosting erodes this and makes it more challenging for all parties concerned. Remember if you decided to ghost your recruiter / company at the end of the process – chances are it will be remembered and talked about.

Ghosting may seem like a quick solution to a personal inconvenience or discomfort, but it can have far reaching impacts for everyone. So instead of ghosting, rather communicate and provide insight / feedback either in an email or in a phone call. It is not always the easiest conversation to have, but trust me you will earn the respect of your RC as well as the client they are working with and chances are they will happily work with you again in the future.