Everyone hates to be ghosted. Yet, we’ve all done it at some point. It’s rude, yes. But sometimes we can’t think of a better way to end a relationship that we just wish was over.
Still, in a professional setting, it can have long-lasting implications. You blow your chances at a short-term opportunity and potentially open yourself up to unexpected future troubles.
And yet, ghosting has become surprisingly common for job candidates. According to figures compiled by Indeed, 76% of employers have been ghosted by a candidate. Meanwhile, more than a quarter of job seekers (28%) say they have ghosted a potential employer in the past 12 months.
Ghosting isn’t just rude. It’s also unnecessary. Even if you aren’t interested in a particular position, there are better ways to turn it down. Consider the following tips:
- If you have to cancel an appointment or drop out of the running for a particular job, let your contacts know as quickly as possible.
- Be polite.
- Think about how your actions impact the other people involved.
- Stay in contact in order to stay eligible for future opportunities.
Still not convinced?
Four Ways that Ghosting on an Interview will Haunt Your Career
You Lose This Opportunity
The immediate impact of ghosting is that you lose out on the immediate opportunity. You might not care. After all, if you really wanted to pursue the job, you wouldn’t have cut off communication in the first place.
But then again, you never know. Perhaps you have another job lined up. Or maybe the pay here seemed less than you wanted. Whatever the reason, conditions can change quickly. If that other position falls through or suddenly any paycheck seems better than nothing, you might regret taking such a dismissive approach.
The bottom line: keep your options open. Even if you’re 99.9% sure you don’t want the job at hand, there’s no reason to ghost.
You Lose a Chance to Practice Your Interview Skills
The probability of landing a particular job is only one factor you should consider your options. Other elements play a role as well. With each run through the hiring process, you gain interview experience. You improve your chances of scoring the next position that comes along.
Even if you don’t want this position, you can get value from participation. Take advantage of this chance to interview. It gives you another occasion to hone your interview skills.
You Lose Any Future Chances with that Organization
Careers are long. You never know what opportunities will come up in the future. By ghosting a specific company now, you might ruin your chances of landing another job there in the future.
Again, think about it in terms of options. You never know if you’ll want to reapply for a position at this particular organization. Better to take the extra time to leave a good impression. That way, you remain viable for any future role that might open up later in your career.
You Lose Potential Networking Contacts
Don’t just think of a potential employer in terms of an organization. Also, consider it as a group of individuals. You aren’t just ghosting a company. You’re ghosting all the people involved in the hiring process.
This might represent the biggest ripple effect from your decision. The annoyance you cause recruiters and HR personnel will likely linger in their minds. If you meet them at some other point later in your career, they might remember you for the wrong reasons.
On the other side of things, your decision to ghost comes with an opportunity cost. You lose the chance to build a relationship with a recruiter or HR staffer. That’s one less contact in your network when you’re looking for a job in the future.
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As you search for the perfect job, it helps to have the right guidance. A top recruiter, like Hiregy, gives you the support you need to take your career to the next level.
Contact Hiregy today to learn more.
