You applied for the job. Prepared for the interview questions. Spent hours meeting with the company’s team and received positive feedback throughout. You’re given a date on when you’ll hear back and leave feeling confident about it. Then crickets. You followed up for an update, and no response.
Sound familiar? I’m sorry, my friend – you’ve just been ghosted after your interview.
You’re not alone, it’s happening more often than ever before. I myself have experienced it multiple times.
It’s frustrating. It’s dehumanizing and can quickly turn you into a downward spiral of replaying the whole interview in your head, trying to figure out where you went wrong.
The truth is, it usually has nothing to do with you and everything to do with them.
Need help with your resume? Check out this post: How To Optimize Your Resume For Applicant Tracking Systems
What is ‘ghosting’?
Ghosting refers to the act of cutting off all communication without explanation.
What started as a popular dating term to describe shitty relationship prospects has unfortunately found its way into an already tough job market.
During the interview process, candidates are contacted by a company to interview. If things are going well and the company is interested, they’ll continue to actively engage with the candidate providing updates.
You can be feeling confident about the role, then all of a sudden – you stop receiving any updates. It’s been weeks now, and still nothing.
The sudden lack of communication and closure can leave job seekers feeling confused and defeated. I know when I experienced this, my mental health was at an all-time low, and I would lose sleep thinking about the situation.
Job candidates who spent time interviewing, especially over multiple rounds, deserve better than this.
Why do employers ghost after an interview?
There are many possibilities as to why employers ghost candidates, even the best ones. We live in a transactional society where humanity has been taken out of the hiring process. It’s easy for companies to avoid communication when hiding behind the screen.
The lack of updates or proper closure on whether the position was given to someone else is a poor reflection on the company, not the candidate.
This means companies either don’t care, are not properly staffed to manage all the candidates they interviewed, or lack an effective interview process (or all of the above). If a company ghosts you, it’s honestly a blessing in disguise.
If they don’t respect you as a job seeker, they probably won’t treat you much better as an employee. I know I wouldn’t want to work for a company like that.
The most common reasons why employers ghost candidates
1. They’re still interviewing other candidates. They haven’t made their final decision yet, or they’re possibly waiting for a more suitable candidate to come along. Unfortunately, this means delayed communication or none at all.
2. They went with an internal candidate. As messed up as it sounds, sometimes companies post ‘dummy’ job openings for roles that are intended for an internal candidate. Your interview was just standard protocol.
3. The position was made redundant or invalid. It’s possible from the time they started interviewing, budget cuts or unforeseen issues with a project arose. The company may realize they no longer need the position.
4. They went with another candidate who accepted the role. You were a backup option. While the best companies usually inform other candidates about the decision, this isn’t always the case.
5. They don’t have approval for the additional head count. It’s possible that key decision-makers or approvers are on vacation and not available. This leaves the hiring team at a standstill until they return.
While this is not an exhaustive of all scenarios, these are some possibilities. Ghosting is an extremely frustrating experience, but it’s important to remember that it’s not a reflection of your qualifications or value.
Stay motivated to keep going!
What to do if you’ve been ghosted after an interview
If your first instinct is to send a nasty email to the hiring team, don’t do that!
Instead, take the high road and give the employer some time. They may still be sorting out their decision and getting approvals; you never know.
If it’s been a couple of weeks since your last communication, you can take action to see if there’s an update.
Follow-up with the hiring team
The best first thing to do is send a follow-up email. Being ghosted after an interview can be disheartening, but it’s important to follow up effectively for the best chances of getting a response.
1. Send a follow-up email: Reach out to the hiring manager or recruiter asking for an update. Focus on reiterating your interest in the role and the unique value you’d bring. Here’s an example you can use:
Hello [NAME],
I hope all is well. I wanted to check in and see if there’s an update on the timeline or status for the [JOB TITLE] role I interviewed for on [DATE]. I’m still very interested in the role and look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you,
[YOUR NAME]
2. Final follow-up: If you haven’t heard back after the initial follow-up, consider sending a final note about one to two weeks later. Keep the note concise and respectful. Here’s an example of what to send the employer:
Hello [NAME],
Great meeting with the [COMPANY NAME] team recently, where we had the chance to discuss the [INSERT JOB TITLE] role.
Seems like you’ve either found a better applicant or decided to go in a different direction on this occasion.
Wishing you all the best, I’m going to close the file on this one for now.
Regards,
[YOUR NAME]
After sending this email, two things could happen. Either they never respond, showing they are uninterested, or they come back to you with an explanation.
Remember to be patient and understanding, as there may be various reasons for the lack of communication. If you receive a response, great! If not, don’t spend time any more time dwelling on it and move on.
Remember, it’s not personal
If all else fails, remember being ghosted isn’t personal. This is not a reflection of your value or qualifications.
There are many external factors that can lead to employers ghosting highly qualified candidates.
Often companies have a policy on what feedback can be given to interview candidates, so a lot of times, they avoid saying anything at all.
This is due to legal concerns and to limit the possibility of being sued by rejected candidates. It just took a few bad apples to ruin it for the rest of us.
If you’re lucky enough to receive any feedback, it usually comes in the form of an automated email saying, “They’re moving forward with another candidate at this time.”
While the lack of personable communication is disappointing, it’s important to remember that recruiters often have to handle a large volume of applications and candidates throughout the hiring process. This makes it challenging for them to provide personalized communication to every single candidate.
Stay positive and keep moving forward
It’s natural to feel down on yourself after being ghosting for a little bit, but you can’t let it get to your head.
If you have a negative mindset or are acting in a state of desperation during your job search, this can come across in your interviews the wrong way.
Remember to stay positive and leave the past behind you. Rather than dwelling on the ghosting experience, use it as a lesson to refine your interview skills and communication approach. This way, you can be your absolute best self in the next interviews.
With perseverance and determination, you are bound to find the right job opportunity that will lead you toward your career goals.
How to move forward after being ghosted by a company
Focus on the next role
Don’t let being ghosted after an interview derail your progress. It’s crucial to focus on the next role and keep moving forward in your job search.
Use your prior experiences as an opportunity to reflect on the application process. Analyze your interview performance and consider any areas for improvement. Were there any questions that you felt could have been answered better? Things you wish you would have added?
Take notes of these, and create an interview cheat sheet to practice with. Identifying any possible shortcomings will help you refine your approach for future interviews.
Take breaks from job hunting
While applying to many jobs being persistent in the job hunt is important. It’s just as important to take breaks for your mental and physical well-being.
Try dedicating certain hours out of your day to the job search and a couple of hours to yourself every day. While job searching, I found the following to be helpful:
Move your body
You don’t have to do strenuous workouts, but spending time away from the computer moving your body will get those feel-good endorphins going.
It can be as simple as walking around your neighborhood, taking a yoga class, or going for a swim. Whatever sort of movement you enjoy doing, start adding that into your daily routine.
Connect with loved ones
Reach out to friends and family to catch up and see how they are doing. Go out to lunch away from your computer. This will give your mind a much-needed break from the job search.
Try new hobbies
Is there anything you’ve been wanting to try but haven’t had the chance to? Now is a great time!
Give your mind variety by trying out new things. This can include creative endeavors, that DIY project you’ve been meaning to start, sports activities, or volunteering. The options are endless here.
Final Words of Wisdom
If you’ve been ghosted after an interview, remember it’s never personal and nothing to be ashamed of. It happens to the best of us.
You’re still a highly qualified candidate and the right job will come along. Although ghosting can be a dehumanizing experience, don’t spend time dwelling on it and losing momentum in your job search. Stay positive, and move forward looking for the next role. Use the prior interview experience as a learning experience and a way to improve for the next role.
If a company is willing to ghost you after an interview, it’s probably not somewhere you’d want to work anyway.
Tell me in the comments below, have you ever been ghosted by a company? If so, share what tips helped you move forward and land a new role.
