You are in the midst of interviewing for a new position, and it seems like everything is going well… until it all seemingly stops mid-air. All of a sudden, the recruiter or hiring manager stops returning your calls or emails. You ask yourself, “what did I do wrong?”
The answer: probably nothing (but maybe something). This article will go over some of the most common reasons why ghosting happens in the recruitment process. We will also touch upon a few things you can do if and when you find yourself in this position.
The company changed its focus.
Nine times out of ten, the hiring process stops in its tracks because there has been a change in priorities. The position they were currently hiring for is taking the backseat to X, Y, or Z. Especially in an environment like today, the senior care industry is trying to deal with safety regulations, government mandates, budget restraints, and about a million other things.
They’re prioritizing internal referrals.
If you started interviewing with the senior care facility through a job board or recruiter, you might end up taking a back seat to those current employees recommended. If this is the case, you may not hear back until the hiring manager has worked through all referrals.
The recruiter or hiring manager is on vacation
It could be that the recruiter or hiring manager you were working with has gone on vacation and forgot to let you know. It is also possible that they were asked to prioritize another critical position and neglected to reach out in the chaos of changing directions.
It could also be (slightly) your fault.
Of course, we cannot always blame other people. That last phone interview you did may not have gone as well as you think it did. You should also ask yourself whether you showed enough initiative and interest in the role. While there is nothing you can necessarily do at this point, it is something to keep in mind for the future.
What you can do from here
The only thing that you can really do is craft a well-thought-out follow-up email. Plan to do this over the course of a month, with no more than one email per week. You can also attempt to reach out via other channels such as the recruiter’s LinkedIn or the senior care facility’s website.
The bottom line is, do not automatically blame yourself. If you have followed up and are still being ghosted, unfortunately, there is not much else that you can do – and it may never be something you even get a firm and final answer on. Chances are, there is more at play than you realize.
Photo by Levi Meir Clancy on Unsplash