Ghosting in the recruitment process: a new thing, or tale as old as time?

With the UK job market tougher than ever, more candidates are experiencing ghosting in the recruitment process. While the term ghosting might have been coined to mean someone disappearing from conversations when you’re dating, people are now using it in relation to job searches – and not only at the first stage.  

Research by head-hunting firm Robert Walters in early 2025 revealed 86% of UK job hunters said their applications had been ignored, with no response at all from the hiring organisation.  

I’ve had candidates who have been for an in-person interview and then never heard back, including a recent example at a high-profile brand. It’s tough as a candidate, because you’ve poured energy into preparing and maybe even imagining yourself in the role. I’ve included some tips about how to get through if you’re being ghosted while looking for a new role.  

Why do so many candidates get no communication about their application? 

Not hearing back about a job application isn’t a new thing but with ever-increasing numbers of applications it seems to be happening more. We might expect that technology could make communication more possible, with the rise of online application portals and AI making the application process more automated, so it’s interesting that this hasn’t become the case. 

We spoke to two recruiters to understand what’s going on when you get ghosted during the recruitment process.  

Keeley Edge runs Key Appointments. She’s been a recruiter for more than 30 years and works alongside SME clients of all size to find the right people for everything from entry level to executive roles.  

Keeley explains that, from a recruiter’s point of view (as opposed to someone in an in-house role) it can be tricky to update candidates with meaningful information because you first need the feedback from the hiring manager.  

“As much as we want to keep candidates updated, we might be dealing with an HR portal rather than an actual person, or we could be waiting for feedback from the hiring manager. I try to call all candidates with updates, but the process can take longer than you think. Securing a new role has definitely become something that takes longer over the past couple of years.” 

Keeley says it can also depend on the size and set-up of the hiring company. Larger companies tend to have dedicated HR people, which can make it easier to communicate with candidates – although the HR team can still be hampered by a lack of feedback from a hiring manager to pass on to candidates.  

A smaller company might expect the hiring manager to deal with the whole process on top of their day job, which makes it understandable that not everyone would get good feedback, especially if hiring managers don’t feel confident giving it.  

“…we don’t connect as humans as much as we used to,” 

James Milner is managing director at Exalto Consulting, a recruitment, coaching and consultancy specialist for the technology sector which recruits for executive roles as well as at all levels for tech and IT jobs. 

“With the volume of candidates applying for every role, companies often find it impossible to give feedback to everyone in the early stages. Increasing automation means some applications may not even be seen by a person, whilst these types of systems may automatically reject candidates – there are plenty of examples where it is not working and people are left hanging for feedback.” 

“Some vacancies can be time-dependent, especially if it’s a contract or temporary role, so if your application isn’t in the first tranche, the role could be filled almost before you’ve applied. 

“Fundamentally – and not just in recruitment – we don’t connect as humans as much as we used to. Often you can be seen as a number in a system, rather than a person. Once you’ve met in person, it can be harder to not go back to someone, which should mean that if you’ve had an interview, you at least get notified of the outcome.” 

Candidates ghosting recruiters also happens 

It’s not only recruiters who disappear from the process without a trace. A 2025 survey by CV Genius identified 34% of Gen Z applicants have accepted a job and then not showed up for work. This was termed “career catfishing” but amounts to the same thing.  

This trend was also picked up in the Robert Walters research, which linked it to the growing use of AI by candidates who then drop out midway through the process.  

But there are some good recruiting managers out there 

I was cheered to see this post on LinkedIn, from a global director of talent and recruitment who’d received 800 applications for a role and was personally replying to all of them to let them know the outcome. He said he’d been a candidate himself recently, and remembered the feeling of being ghosted, so didn’t want applicants to his organisation to feel that way. It’s quite the effort to make, but will have protected the organisation’s brand (along with his personal one) and left the applicants with a good sense of the company’s values.  

What’s driving ghosting in the recruitment process? 

Increasingly stretched recruiters and in-house HR people, driven by a rising tide of applications, seems to be the main factor behind the lack of communication. But this tension between what’s possible for hiring teams and what’s expected by candidates could have longer-term consequences.  

With the younger generation searching for purpose and connection more than ever, feeling invisible and not valued by an organisation could have extensive implications for employer brands. Alignment with a company’s values can be an important part of the decision-making when it comes to whether a candidate accepts a role, and how you’re treated during the recruitment process gives a strong signal about those values.  

So while candidates need to be resilient in the face of lengthy job searches, companies also need to think of applicants as more than just a number.  

What to do if you’ve been ghosted in the recruitment process 

Job hunting is tough, and you need to dig deep to make it successfully into your next role, but I’m afraid ghosting is likely here to stay, so here are my tips for staying resilient.  

1. Be brave – ideally, you’d make a follow-up call to someone you met during the process, but you can also email politely asking for an outcome. Make three attempts and then tick it off your list 

1. Professionally point out the ghosting – this is a fine line to tread, but emailing to express your disappointment that you’ve not been informed of the outcome will give the organisation one last opportunity to respond. You could also post a Glassdoor review to highlight your experience as insight for other candidates 

1. Move on and don’t take it personally – it really isn’t you, it’s them! Not hearing back doesn’t mean you aren’t a great candidate. Put it down to experience and move on, focusing on the recruiters and companies who have behaved well 

It’s also worth remembering how you felt about being ghosted if you’re ever in the position to hire people. How can you ensure candidates don’t feel that way in your process? You can also try to use the recruiters who did a good job for you as a candidate when you’re in the hiring manager’s seat. 

If you’ve experienced ghosting in the recruitment process and want some help to secure your next role, get in touch to book a free chemistry session.