More ghosts than ever.
If you are in the midst of a job hunt, then you know: being “ghosted” is all too common. We all pretty much agree - it should not ever happen. "Ghosting" is belittling for the person on the receiving end . . . and is simply no way to conduct business.
But there is good news for all the job seekers that have been ghosted: it is not your fault. This is worth repeating . . . please understand that being ghosted is in NO WAY WHATSOEVER a reflection on you. It IS a reflection of 1) possible changes in the organization, 2) technological progress and 3) a lack of progress in how companies think of HR.
1) Changes in the Org: there are countless ways in which events within the organization can result in hiring decisions being put on hold. The company may have lost a major client, the head of the division may have suddenly quit or the previous quarter's sales numbers may have tanked. Whatever the case, there are many scenarios where the hiring is put on-hold - leaving the role (and you) you in limbo.
2) Progress in tech: it wasn't long ago that candidates commonly communicated with prospective employers via phone calls & letters. At that time, the understanding was that phone messages and letters get a response in return - period. Today, digital communication (the internet, email, and digital files) has become the standard. As a result, HR professionals are inundated with candidates and overwhelmed by emails - which is a major point of frustration for my friends in HR folks. They feel that they can't possibly respond to every email they receive without putting in 16 hour days - so, and as a general rule of thumb, they don't.
3) Lack of Progress in HR: employers have long made the mistake of overloading and understaffing their HR departments. They are tasked with - among other things - finding the absolute PERFECT candidates, doing that by weeding through ever LARGER quantities of resumes, and scheduling all of the meetings that the candidate has - all while ALSO onboarding new employees, coordinating the benefits of the existing employees, and exiting soon-to-be-former employees. What I've NOT heard an HR pro tell me is that their boss evaluates them on their ability to “Provide every candidate with consistent, clear updates on their status” or “Take responsibility for treating every candidate - hired or not - with empathy and respect”. Bottom line - in this digital age, more things are expected of HR pros . . . but "respond to every candidate's inquiry" is not one of them.
So - if you're in an HR pro's shoes and you:
have 127 emails in your inbox from candidates seeking an update
don’t know if/when those positions will be filled
and your boss has a list of a dozen other projects due by close-of-business
. . . what would be YOUR first priority?
Yup - I get it. That gives some perspective - but you'd still like to know one way or the other. I’ve been on both sides of this scenario - as a hiring manager and as a candidate. Here are some suggestions:
send an email requesting an update early (8 AM) on Monday. This is often the best time to catch someone before the demands of the work week take over.
reach out roughly 1x/week - no more often than that.
keep your communications short and sweet. They know who you are and the background. A long email demands more of their time - which means it’s more likely they’ll skip to the next email.
if you’re at your wit’s end . . . if you've heard nothing after 3 or 4 failed attempts . . . if not knowing is worse than knowing, I have found the following email to be very effective. “Hi, X. Regarding the ABC position - I’m sure you’re very busy - so I don’t want to pester you with a steady stream of emails. I am very excited about the role - so I hope I'm still in the running. Of course, if I am no longer under consideration, I’ll be disappointed. . .but a quick note back (either way) will make things clear (and I can stop being a pest). Thanks in advance, Y"
After that - if you still hear nothing, it's best to simply let it go. Still - if bringing closure will help you to move, it should look something like this: “Dear, X. I assume the hiring process for role ABC is either on-hold or has the role has been filled. I appreciate the opportunity and hope we can stay in touch. All the best, Y”.
Whatever the case - keep your cool, handle yourself maturely, and treat your point-of-contact with respect.
And - more than anything - remember: being ghosted is NOT a reflection on you.