The prevalence of interview reviews referencing ghosting on Glassdoor has surged since the onset of the pandemic, doubling in total share, as highlighted in an October 26 report by Glassdoor. In October, 3.1% of interview reviews posted on Glassdoor included mentions of ghosting, marking a 112% increase since the pandemic’s inception and a 7% rise from the same period last year.
Glassdoor’s Economic Research team noted that ceasing all communication with a candidate without explanation is notably poor conduct. Consequently, a staggering 87% of interview reviews citing ghosting expressed an overall negative experience with potential employers.
Analyzing over 1 million interview reviews from U.S. job seekers on Glassdoor revealed interesting trends. Ghosting appeared in 5.4% of reviews for candidates who secured interviews through recruiters, compared to 3.8% for those who applied directly online. This suggests that candidates engaging with recruiters directly were 1.4 times more likely to experience or voice grievances about ghosting. Meanwhile, candidates with referrals mentioned ghosting in 2.2% of reviews.
Across industries, ghosting was most frequently mentioned in media and communication (5.1%), pharmaceutical and biotechnology (4.4%), and human resources and staffing (4.2%). On the contrary, it was least reported in government and public administration (1.3%) and restaurants and food service (.7%).
However, Glassdoor cautioned that industry data might not solely reflect where ghosting is more prevalent but rather where job seekers are more inclined to mention it. Certain industries might elicit more surprise or discontent from candidates, prompting them to mention ghosting in their reviews. While the exact reasons for the accelerated rise in ghosting mentions on Glassdoor remain uncertain, what’s clear is that it leads to an increasingly negative candidate experience. Moreover, candidates are becoming more open to sharing these experiences in public forums, shaping a notable shift in how prospective employees interact with potential employers.
