Top 11 Reasons Why Tech Recruiters Ghost Candidates
Tags: career
Published: 2023-05-22 07:57:22



Have you ever been ghosted by a tech recruiter? Perhaps you thought you did amazing at an interview, but you're not getting the expected feedback.

It's a behaviour that happens a lot. And being ghosted feels awful.

This article will explain the top 10 reasons why tech recruiters ghost. I'll also give you some solutions to prevent recruiters from ghosting.

Let's start.

## What is ghosting?

> Ghosting is abruptly ending communication with someone without explanation.[[Psychology Today]](https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/ghosting)

In the workplace, ghosting happens when one party disappears from the interview process.

In a way, you build a relationship with a recruiter when you go through an interview process.

They are the first point of contact between the candidate and the organization.

## How many recruiters ghost?

> A whopping 77% of jobseekers say theyve been ghosted by a prospective employer.[[Indeed survey]](https://www.indeed.com/lead/impact-of-covid-19-on-job-seeker-employer-ghosting)

However, candidates ghost recruiters too.

[![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1684666180739/dbef9a45-5f84-45b2-b12b-d15f8f013c4f.jpeg)](https://www.indeed.com/lead/impact-of-covid-19-on-job-seeker-employer-ghosting)

## Why do tech recruiters ghost candidates?

### 1. They found a more qualified candidate

At the first stage of the interview process, a tech recruiter scans dozens of CVs and identifies and calls the candidates most suitable for the position.

Sometimes tech recruiters prefer one candidate over another because the CV checks more boxes.

> **Related** : [What Tech Career Is Right For Me?](https://techwithmaddy.com/what-tech-career-is-right-for-me)

### 2. You're not suitable for the position

Many people who apply for open positions are not ideal for the job.

An example could be a tech recruiter looking for a candidate with five years of experience in Java, Spring Boot and MySQL.

But then, they get a candidate whose CV lists Python, Django and one year of experience.

> **Related** : [How To Create A Job-Winning Resume For The Tech Industry In 2023](https://techwithmaddy.com/how-to-create-a-job-winning-resume-for-the-tech-industry-in-2023)

### 3. They don't want to announce the rejection

Some tech recruiters find it challenging to tell a rejection.

In my experience, tech recruiters from agencies avoid announcing rejections and instead contact you with another open position "to compensate".

> **Related** : [How To Deal With Job Rejections As A Software Engineer](https://techwithmaddy.com/how-to-deal-with-job-rejections-as-a-software-engineer)

### 4. They forgot

According to a [recent study](https://www.workvivo.com/hr-breakdown/), recruiters are burned out.

[![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1684668700473/57a95e7a-fabc-4615-8588-302832d75e95.jpeg)](https://www.workvivo.com/hr-breakdown/)

Especially now, when there are thousands of layoffs happening and more engineers on the market, tech recruiters forget to get back to candidates.

### 5. The position might have been closed

Tech recruiters ghost candidates when previously open positions are closed due to a shift in priorities.

> **Related** : [Non-Technical Careers: An Insiders Look Into The Tech Industry](https://techwithmaddy.com/non-technical-careers-an-insiders-look-into-the-tech-industry)

### 6. An internal candidate filled the position

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1684673960666/96586ecd-3f0c-4f53-9386-c01aabc52c42.jpeg)

A tech recruiter once ghosted me to find out later that the position was given to an internal candidate.

It's a good sign that a company promotes internal mobility.

On the other side, it's a negative experience for the candidate who went through the interview process and got ghosted.

### 7. They haven't received feedback from the interviewees

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1684673752500/e5bcb772-2fc5-431d-a194-c429623d2082.jpeg)

Tech recruiters act as the representatives of an organization.

A tech interview process involves multiple stages. Some stages often involve different people.

Tech recruiters ghost candidates when they don't receive feedback from the interviewees.

### 8. They cannot match your salary expectations

Tech recruiters ghost candidates when the salary a candidate requests is higher than what they can offer.

Most of the time is beneficial for a tech recruiter to offer the highest salary they can (especially if they're from a recruitment agency).

But sometimes, they cannot give you what you negotiate for, and therefore ghost candidates.

### 9. The tech recruiter is on holiday

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1684673834799/f3c070c2-9b26-417d-9705-91db7282b4b5.jpeg)

Tech recruiters often fail to communicate when they'll be on holiday, leaving the candidate with no feedback or news for extended periods.

### 10. The tech recruiter no longer works for the company

Tech recruiters may ghost candidates because they no longer work for the company and haven't shared the information about potential candidates waiting to hear back to other colleagues.

### 11. Your follow-up message was...rude

A follow-up message is sent to the recruiter after an interview if you haven't heard back from them within the time frame arranged.

A follow-up message should be positive and polite.

If the tone of the follow-up message is inconsiderate and contains [inappropriate questions](https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/follow-up-call-after-interview), it could backfire on the candidate.

> **Related** : [How To Find Remote Tech Jobs On LinkedIn](https://techwithmaddy.com/how-to-find-remote-tech-jobs-on-linkedin)

## How can you avoid being ghosted by a tech recruiter?

While you cannot avoid being ghosted, there are ways you can reduce the chances of being ghosted. For example:

- **Call the recruiter** : it's essential to understand when to call the recruiter. If, for example, the recruiter has told you they'll get back to you in seven days, wait until day 10-14 to call them back.

- **Reach out to the recruiter on LinkedIn** : many recruiters use LinkedIn to contact potential candidates, and sometimes they may be more responsive on LinkedIn.

- **Write a positive follow-up message** : ensure the follow-up message is polite and professional.

- **Be patient** : being ghosted doesn't necessarily mean you didn't get the position. Be patient and wait 'til you hear back. If you think you've waited long enough, call the recruiter.

## Conclusion

After reading this article, you know the top 11 reasons why tech recruiters ghost.

Have you ever been ghosted by a recruiter? How did you overcome the situation? Let me know in the comments.

P.S.: if you enjoyed this article, you'd definitely benefit from subscribing to my [FREE weekly newsletter](https://techwithmaddy.com/newsletter).

Until next time!

🙋🏾