“If you’re looking for work in today’s online world, be prepared to have your heart broken — again and again and again.” That was the main argument of Brad Mislow’s recent CBS Sunday Morning opinion segment — Brad is one of the six million Americans searching for a job right now, and he appeared on Sunday Morning to talk about a new phenomenon in the online job market: getting ghosted.
“Ghosting” is a term that originated in the world of online dating. It refers to someone who stops responding to texts, calls, or messages of any kind in abrupt fashion, without any warning. “Even when the person being ghosted reaches out to re-initiate contact or gain closure, they’re met with silence,” explains Very Well Mind’s Wendy Rose Gould.
While this term originated in the world of online dating, it is increasingly being used to describe abrupt silence in many forms of communication, including the job recruiting process. A candidate may be “ghosted” by an employer if, after an initial recruiting exchange of some kind — a few LinkedIn messages, some emails, or a first or second interview — the candidate stops receiving responses, even after multiple follow-up attempts.
If you’re looking for a job and have stopped receiving responses from an employer, here are four strategies for navigating the situation.
Four Ways to Navigate “Getting Ghosted” While Searching for a Job
- Stay calm. The most common emotion that getting ghosted elicits is frustration. After investing time into researching a company, filling out an application, and talking to a recruiter, it’s understandable that you’d like to see a tangible result from your efforts, even if it’s a “no-for-now” connection for the future. While it may be tempting to channel your frustration into multiple follow-up emails, pause and take a deep breath. Yes, this is frustrating, but it’s one minor bump in the larger journey of finding a new role.
- Know it’s not you, it’s them Much like dating, the job hunting process can make us feel vulnerable. When you get ghosted, you may wonder if it’s something you did — was your interview that bad? Was your resume full of typos? Before you let your thoughts run wild, remember that an abrupt end to a recruiting conversation is most likely due to circumstances out of your control. The employer may have moved forward with a different candidate, or economic pressures may have led the organization to freeze hiring for now. It may even be as simple as an overworked, stressed recruiting contact who doesn’t have time to respond to you at the moment. Whatever the reason, it almost certainly has more to do with the employer than with you and your capabilities.
- Look for possibilities. When you get ghosted during a job search, it’s easy to see one big roadblock. Instead, consider alternative paths forward. Can you reach out to another contact at the organization? Can you refocus your energy on another opportunity? Can you leverage your network to create new connections, or to get feedback on your resume? Focus on small, achievable actions that will help you move forward.
- When you work directly with a recruiter, you drastically lower your chances of getting ghosted. Recruiters know that great candidates – great people – are the heart of their business, and they are often looking to make connections for the long-term, not just for one job opportunity. Build a relationship with a reputable recruiter as soon as you can so that you have an advocate for today and for the future. You’ll gain access to a guide who can help you navigate the job market with more ease, less stress, and more dependable communication.
At the end of the day, healthcare recruiting is all about working with people. Concrete results are important, but a truly thriving healthcare recruiting business relies on trusting relationships – long-term, meaningful connections to hospitals, health systems, organizations, healthcare leaders, HR leaders, and healthcare candidates. Before you start your next job search process, consider working with a healthcare recruiter you trust — it may make all the difference as you chart your path forward.
Lauren Bencekovich is the founder and CEO of Lauren Recruiting Group, a boutique healthcare recruiting firm that matches healthcare executive candidates with hospitals and health organizations. Looking for a new role? Reach out and schedule a 30-minute intro call today!