A huge complaint circulating through the workforce right now is that employers do not respond to their job applicants. We totally understand how that can be frustrating, especially if you took the time to interview. But please, don’t take it personally! More often than not, it wasn’t intentional. That doesn’t mean it’s excusable, but remember, we’re all only human! Keep reading to learn about why you may lose contact, and things you can do to avoid it.
Why it happens
There are many reasons why this may happen. Although, it is totally understandable to find this frustrating. There is never a good “excuse” but there are reasons for the madness.
It slipped their minds
We are all human, we get busy, things slip our minds. This is one of the reasons you may not hear back, it could have been simply forgotten. Although that is probably not something you want to hear, it happens. It isn’t personal, and more times than not, they feel so guilty when they realize it.
They’re still deciding
Although a heads up may be nice, it could be very likely that they are still deciding. They don’t want to send you away just yet. They may just be trying to decide between you and another candidate.
They’re waiting for a decision
Sometimes, it is not the interviewer/recruiters’ decision. They may be waiting for a decision to be made by their team, and it could be out of their hands. Or, if you are working with a staffing agency, the recruiter could simply be waiting to hear back from the Hiring Authority at the client company.
Hiring was put on hold
Sometimes the position is just simply put on hold, and they’re trying to get things together so it could just be a waiting game. The hiring process can start and stop at the drop of a dime. Things are constantly changing in the workforce, and sometimes, it’s out of our control.
Fear of rejecting
Although this may seem silly, sometimes people are just afraid. After all, telling someone “no” is always hard to do. There’s never a way to tell how a candidate will react.
Although there is no “good” excuse to ghost a candidate, there are reasons as to why it may happen.
What you can do
Don’t be afraid to be the one to reach out. If you feel as if you should’ve heard back by now, send an email, or call! It looks good on your part if they haven’t made a decision yet. If they did make a decision and fail to follow up with you, at least you can finally get closure on the position. You should also ensure that after an interview, you take the time to send a thank-you email. It’s a great way to express your interest, and allows you to ask when to expect to hear back! Check out Thank you Emails After Interviewing for more information.
