Are you a Ghost Rider in your Career? – Let’s Know All About Job Ghosting

Ghosts are scary, right? But don’t worry. I am not talking about ghosts. I am just referring to the action of ‘ghosting’ that has become quite the trend in recent times in the professional arena.  What exactly is ‘Ghosting’?  You may have heard the word being mentioned in an amorous relationship where one person suddenly ceases to be visible to the other. That is to say, one of the partners does not respond to any calls, messages, or even visits of the other. A similar form of behaviour is gradually evolving in the workplace and is known as ‘job ghosting.’

Job ghosting, thus, is an action in which either the recruiter or the potential employee, ghosts out on the other. It, therefore, is very clearly a two-way street. A recruiter is seen to abandon a candidate who may have already cleared the recruitment process, by appearing for the interview stage. At the same time, an employee is also seen ditching out on the recruiter, even though a job offer may have been made. They prefer saying ‘yes’ to a more lucrative offer. Despite being an unacceptable form of behaviour, recruiters and employers seem to be considering this as a convenient means of expression to avoid ugly situations of saying ’no’.

On a more profound analysis of this mode of behaviour, it has been found that this was a prevalent practice among the hiring managers for a long time. When a candidate was not selected after the interview was conducted, the company did not make any effort to inform the individual that he/she has been rejected. Speaking from the perspective of the recruiter, it is not always that they are not courteous. Sometimes a back-to-the-wall kind of situation, such as a hiring freeze phase may be the cause of why they choose to become silent suddenly. Under such circumstances, they have no other option but to not get in touch with a potential employee, until things are back to normal. But unfortunately, this often leaves the applicant delusional and in a dilemma; it is easier for someone to move on, once they are sure that the previous thing is not going to work out.

However, the tables seemed to have turned! Now that there has been a significant shift of power from the hands of the employers to the employees, this behavioural pattern is beginning to surface among the employees by and large. This power shift is the result of the growth of employment by leaps and bounds; you can no longer say that there is less number of jobs available in the market. Job seekers are fortunate to have a higher number of options laid out before them to expand their professional life than it was in the yesteryears. So, they (the job hunters) do not really put their minds on showing any courtesy to the recruiter they had been to for an interview or the company from whom they may have received an offer letter, once they find a better opportunity. Informing the other companies from which they do not wish to take up the offer, is not an item on their itinerary. And they feel that gesture of job ghosting is hence, justified.

No matter how much this activity is in vogue, there are substantial reasons that both the prospective employer and the potential employee ought to avoid ghosting each other out within the workplace. The following are those reasons why you should avoid job ghosting at all costs or stop it if you are into its habit immediately.

1. Loss of respect – every individual has his/her honour, irrespective of whether you are in power or not. The golden rule is, do to others what you want them to do to you. Hence, it is only when you give the respect that you get respect. Job ghosting in no way shows any respect to the recipient of it.
2. Your name is put at stake – on exhibiting this form of behaviour you surely cannot expect to be in the good books for others. So, be it an employer or an employee, whoever shows this gesture, he/she is bound to be blacklisted by the others.
3. Bleak future – if you happen to be a potential applicant, you have a greater disadvantage on ‘ghosting’ your hiring managers. Though the sun may be shining on the number of jobs available, yet you never know when you might see a cloudy day. And god forbid if that happens, then your ghosting attitude may cost you a fortune. Some recruiters tend to remember such candidates and make sure not to hire them ever again in the future. They may even share the information of your unacceptable with others of their acquaintance, which further reduces your chances of getting hired in the future.

Contemplating all the above information, I dare say that ghosts in any form are scary. It is best thus for you to stay away from them, even if it is just ‘Job Ghosting.’