Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on FlexJobs.com.
Have you ever interviewed for a job and followed up with the hiring manager by sending a thoughtful thank-you note, only to receive no response? Unfortunately, it’s likely that the employer has ghosted you.
Getting ghosted by employers can be disheartening, but it’s important to harness positive thinking and carry on with your job search.
The reasons for getting ghosted likely aren’t personal, and there are actionable steps you can take to move forward from job rejection — even if that rejection came in the form of silence from the employer.
To learn more about employer ghosting and other challenges faced by job seekers in the modern work landscape, FlexJobs and MyPerfectResume (MPR) polled over 2,000 professionals based in the United States between June 11 and June 23, 2024.
Candidate Ghosting: Getting Ghosted by Employers in the Job Search
The State of the Job Search Report conducted by FlexJobs and MPR found that nearly half (48%) of professionals have been ghosted by an employer during the interview process.
And while 15% of professionals reported that they’ve been ghosted by an employer at least once, 33% shared that they’ve been ghosted by employers more than once.
In addition to getting ghosted by employers, the biggest challenge faced by the majority (55%) of job seekers polled are ghost jobs — nonexistent job postings or positions that have already been filled despite the still-running job advertisement.
The Key Challenges Reported by Job Seekers
Other key challenges reported by job seekers in the survey include:
- Getting responses from applications: 49%
- Recognizing and avoiding job scams: 45%
- Finding jobs that match qualifications: 44%
- Finding jobs with schedule flexibility: 39%
- Knowing how to optimize resumes/applications for applicant tracking systems: 32%
- Finding jobs with companies that are of interest: 31%
- Navigating lengthy interview processes: 24%
Top Reasons Why Job Seekers Ghost Employers
While 48% of respondents reported being ghosted, only 10% of job seekers reported that they’ve ghosted a company at least once during the interview process. Most respondents (90%) stated they have never ghosted an employer.
With the minority of job seekers reporting that they’ve ghosted employers, we dug into the reasons that would motivate them to do so.
We found that the top three reasons were disorganized or unprofessional hiring managers (67%), a lack of communication (61%), and unclear remote work arrangements (60%), such as jobs advertised as remote that are actually hybrid jobs or office jobs.
Other Factors That Cause Job Seekers to Ghost Employers
Additional factors that would cause job seekers to ghost an employer or pull out of the interview process include:
- Negative company culture: 53%
- Job doesn’t align with personal values: 45%
- Unfavorable company review or reputation: 43%
- Poor employee benefits or compensation: 43%
- Unpaid work during the interview process: 30%
- Recent company layoffs: 25%
What Job Seekers Look for When Evaluating Jobs
Evaluating employers and job opportunities is an essential part of a successful job search.
To find a strong career fit, it’s important to determine the market value of the job you’re after to ensure it will meet your financial needs, carefully read job descriptions to identify key elements of the role (from job responsibilities to desired performance outcomes), and conduct thorough employer research.
It’s also important to consider your personal needs when job searching. For instance, if you’re a working parent with school pick-up and drop-off responsibilities, you’d likely benefit from a flexible work schedule.
Or, if you’re introverted and thrive in a work-from-home setting, you might be better off searching for a fully remote job vs a hybrid remote job that requires some in-office time.
The key is to keep your personal and professional needs top of mind while job searching to find the best fit for you.
The Top Factors That Appeal to Job Seekers
In the State of the Job Search Report, we found that the top factors that appeal to job seekers when assessing employers and job postings include:
- Having remote work: 87%
- Salary: 76%
- Having a flexible schedule: 72%
- Meaningful work: 62%
- Work-life boundaries: 60%
- Having a good boss: 59%
- Healthy company culture: 56%
- Amount of paid vacation time and sick time: 48%
Top Application Turn-Offs Among Job Seekers
Just as evaluating what you want in a job and in an employer is critical to long-term job satisfaction, so too is considering what you don’t want.
If you come across a job posting that’s well-suited to your experience, skills, and professional development plan, that’s great! However, it’s important to assess the company culture to ensure the work environment is a fit as well.
Although you should do thorough company research before applying for jobs, the fact of the matter is that some culture clues arise during the application process. You may have deemed a company a good culture fit only to encounter red flags in the hiring process that make you second-guess your initial assessment.
For instance, if you’re asking thoughtful questions of the interviewer but getting vague answers in response, it could indicate a lack of organization or unclear job expectations. And if you thrive on structure and clarity, the role and the culture may not be a good fit for you.
If any aspect of the company culture or work environment gives you pause during the application process, listen to your instincts and carefully evaluate what’s turning you off.
By identifying what you don’t want in an employer early in the hiring process, you’ll be better able to determine whether the job and company align with your needs and values — and move onto another opportunity if they don’t.
The Biggest ‘Turn-Offs’ Among Job Seekers
In our survey, the following factors were ranked as some of the biggest “turn-offs” among job seekers when assessing employers and job postings:
- Being asked to complete a lengthy assignment: 49%
- Not providing enough detail about the tasks of the job: 40%
- Having to complete an asynchronous or one-way video interview: 32%
- Requiring a cover letter: 29%
- Asking for references up front: 24%
Notably, 69% of respondents also shared that they do not feel that cover letters should be part of the application process, while 31% felt that cover letters should be included.
Furthermore, 49% of respondents communicated that they would leverage online resume builders and templates to assist with resume writing, adding that they would also seek additional support via:
- Resume writing articles or resources: 42%
- Professional resume writing services or consultants: 38%
- Family members and friends: 34%
- Artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT: 32%
- Resume writing workshops: 23%
- Career coaches: 20%
Educational Requirements Creating Barriers for Job Seekers
Another common challenge faced by job seekers in the modern job market is the educational requirements in job postings — namely, a bachelor’s degree.
Despite skills-based hiring and other hiring trends, more than a quarter (27%) of job seekers reported that they “occasionally encounter” jobs they’re qualified for but do not meet the educational requirements.
Another 25% of respondents said they encounter this educational barrier “often,” calling attention to the prevalence of job postings with educational requirements that may not accurately reflect the requirements of the job.
In accordance with this, 69% of survey respondents noted that eliminating college degree requirements from job postings would enhance their career prospects. In fact, 44% of survey-takers noted this would improve their career opportunities “a lot,” while 25% said it would improve their opportunities “a little” and 31% felt it would make no impact on their chances of securing a job.
The good news is that there are remote jobs without degree requirements available, including high-paying opportunities, so you can find a remote job you’re qualified for even without a college education.
