Candidate Ghosting: Why It Happens & How to Stop It
Candidate ghosting usually isn’t malicious — it’s what happens when hiring decisions stall and nobody owns the follow-up. The result is the same: silence, frustration, and a damaged employer brand. JobGhost prevents it by guaranteeing closure.
Candidates get updates every 3 days. Managers get nudges at 10 / 5 / 3 days and 24 hours before closure. If no action occurs for 30 days, candidates are automatically and kindly closed out.
What is candidate ghosting?
Candidate ghosting is when a company stops responding to an applicant or interviewee and leaves them without a clear outcome or timeline. It often happens late in the process when candidates are most emotionally invested.
Why ghosting happens
- Decision stalls: feedback loops drag on, and nobody hits “yes” or “no.”
- Overloaded teams: recruiters and managers are juggling too many roles and threads.
- Unclear ownership: nobody is accountable for closing the loop.
- Broken workflows: hiring happens in inboxes and spreadsheets with no guardrails.
The real cost (the “Ghosting Tax”)
Even when ghosting is accidental, candidates experience it as a lack of respect.
How to stop ghosting
Ghosting drops when you add three simple guardrails:
- Predictable updates: tell candidates what’s happening (even if the answer is “still reviewing”).
- Manager accountability: nudge decision-makers before the process stalls.
- Guaranteed closure: every candidate gets an outcome, no matter what.
How JobGhost works
- Updates every 3 days: candidates receive a friendly status update until the process ends.
- Manager nudges: internal nudges go out at 10 / 5 / 3 days and 24 hours before auto-close.
- 30-day closure: if no action occurs for 30 days, JobGhost automatically and kindly closes the candidate out.
See the full flow here: JobGhost Journey.
FAQ
How does JobGhost prevent ghosting?
JobGhost sends candidate updates every 3 days, nudges managers before stalls, and guarantees closure with a kind auto-close at 30 days if no action happens.
What happens if a hiring manager does nothing?
Managers get nudged at 10/5/3 days and 24 hours before the system closes the loop. If there’s still no action at 30 days, the candidate receives closure automatically.
Is JobGhost message tone robotic?
No — messaging is designed to be human, respectful, and transparent.
Does this work if hiring happens via email?
Yes. JobGhost is designed to support inbox-based hiring workflows while adding the missing guardrails that prevent ghosting.
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