Ghosting, or simply bad manners?
I’m not sure when I first heard the term ghosting, although it seems that it appeared along with online dating to explain seemingly sensible souls vanishing into thin air. Right now, it’s a term all too often associated with recruitment. Potential candidates engaging with recruiters, feeling hopeful and then being ignored, or worse still seemingly happy workers being tracked down by researchers, expectations raised then nothing!
So, why are so many businesses and organisations getting away with such poor customer service? Businesses which boast openly that they are customer-obsessed or customer-driven simply do not live their values when it comes to recruitment. And while we’re on this thorny topic, it’s time for me to build yet another soap box and jump on it. You’ve guessed already it’s time to bring back my nemesis – feedback, or I should say, a lack of feedback.
Imagine how you’d feel if you’d run your legs off in Germany at the Euros on the understanding that if you didn’t hear from your national coach within a few days, you were out of the squad. I’m not a footie aficionado, yet every single England player who came off the pitch yesterday evening was congratulated by Gareth Southgate. Irrespective of the pressure of the moment, he took time to speak with each player he substituted.
There will be people reading this who vehemently agree with me I’m sure, yet the excuses begin to surface. Dwindling budgets, unrealistic work volumes, or capability gaps all play their part in propping up the shabby practice of ignoring people who engage in recruitment conversations.
It’s fair to say that I’m outspoken and also that sometimes I’ve been guilty by omission. I’ve pitched up at an assignment to review and/or transform recruitment and allowed the entire resourcing team to convince me that tailored feedback is unsustainable. That’s not to say that I’ve given in without a fight – my portable soap box often makes an appearance, especially once candidates have engaged in face-to-face meetings (virtual or in person). They’ve invested time in your organisation, so their feedback should be in step with the time invested, right?
Getting back to the ghosting stories we’ve all been so disappointed to read, as much as I want to encourage organisations (and people) to get better at follow up, I want to help the victims of this feeble practice to, “draw a line and jump over it”. I’m not suggesting that potential candidates and jobseekers put up with such rudeness, just that it doesn’t eat away at their confidence.
Quite recently I mentioned that sometimes we need to vote with our feet. Being kept waiting in reception without apology or explanation could be an indicator of how that business functions behind the Neom essential oil dispensers and pollen-exploding lilies! Mindfulness is (perhaps) another indicator – I’m happy to be called Heather or the one with the bright red lipstick but why insist on calling me Mrs. then adding an imaginary “s” to my family name?
I am in no way wanting to trivialize poor candidate management by writing about Mrs. Watts or huge floral displays but would encourage you to clock those pointers which make you feel uncomfortable. Promised a call back which didn’t materialize? By all means try a brief email or telephone call, encouraging the recruiter to respond, although be clear on your parameters.
Spurred on by Marcia Weekes Spears recently I realised that I should and could write even more on these topics; I should offer coaching specific to organisations which seem to fall through the cracks, along with their previous followers. I write “previous” because organisations (whether they are recruiters or employers or probably both) simply won’t get to hear about talented colleagues if they persist in such arrogant behaviour.
In advance of any coaching programmes I’m designing, here are my top tips for staying in touch with candidates and making them feel like the individuals they are:
Customer experience is candidate or employee experience
Remember to stick to your time commitments
Explain that your first priority is feedback to candidates you’ve met (manage expectations)
Be clear that feedback to candidates who apply is acknowledged (rather than discussed)
Be present, avoid insulting candidates by hiding “on another call”
Remember to take ownership and don’t blame others e.g. hiring manager
Use phrases like, “this must be disappointing although I have some positive (or helpful) feedback for you”
Avoid comparisons to other candidates – this candidate doesn’t care about how good someone else was (they’ve heard it all before)
Experiment with phrases like, “drop me a text if you feel ignored” or “8:00 a.m. is a good time to catch me” or “when are the best times to catch you?”
Here are some related stories I’ve published although looking through the list (three in 2019, two in 2020, two in 2021 and one in 2022) maybe I haven’t gone into print as often as it seems in my head. Note to self, “could and should do better”. Watch this space.
· Candidate experience — Heather Watt 11th May 2019
· Candidates are your customers, aren’t they? — Heather Watt 6th September 2020
· Feedback matters — Heather Watt 18th April 2019
· Ghostly Tales — Heather Watt 29th November 2021
· Recruitment essentials – feedback and good manners — Heather Watt 23rd January 2022
· Reputation is everything — Heather Watt 8th July 2020
· The horns of a dilemma — Heather Watt 12th March 2019
· The Masked Recruiter — Heather Watt 7th June 2021
Let’s chat if you would like to talk about some or all of the points in this piece or to suggest topics I need to cover. Enjoy the sunshine and remember the sunscreen!
