So, why do Candidates ghost after interviews?
You’ve had a promising first interview. Everyone’s impressed. You send the second-stage invite or the offer paperwork… and then? Radio silence. The candidate disappears.
Frustrating? Absolutely. But sadly, not unusual.
Ghosting is on the rise — especially in sectors with high demand and limited talent. In fact, a recent survey by Indeed found that 28% of UK employers experienced candidates failing to turn up for interviews or the first day of work in 2023 — up from just 18% the year before.
In my experience supporting internal HR teams and managing candidate pipelines for niche roles, I’ve noticed a few consistent themes behind this trend. And even as a recruiter who spends a huge amount of time on candidate testing and engagement, it still happens to me from time to time too.
Last week I had to sit down with a client and talk through exactly why I thought it might be the case for one of their current recruitment campaigns we’ve been supporting. There were a few key observations we’d made from our conversations with candidates throughout the process and it was important to share this feedback so we could adapt the role and recruitment process, ready to go again.
Here’s some of the factors that could be playing a part — and more importantly, what you can do to reduce it.
1. The Process Is Too Slow
Top candidates are typically interviewing with multiple companies. If your process takes too long or goes quiet for days between steps, you’re giving them time to mentally check out — or accept another offer.
I recently worked with an in-house team where the average gap between first and second interviews was nine days! (I know, we worked on it!) By the time they reconnected, two out of five shortlisted candidates had already accepted roles elsewhere.
Quick fix: Streamline your interview process, set clear internal SLAs, and keep the communication flowing between stages. Even a “just checking in” email helps.
2. Expectations Weren’t Clear Upfront
Sometimes ghosting happens because the candidate never really understood the role in the first place. Maybe the job ad was vague. Maybe the salary or travel expectations weren’t discussed early enough. By the time the reality becomes clear, they’ve quietly opted out — without the courtesy of telling you.
Quick fix: Be upfront about salary, working hours, expectations and culture from the start. The more transparent you are, the more likely candidates are to stay engaged (or self-select out early, which is no bad thing).
3. It Doesn’t Feel Like a Two-Way Process
Ghosting is, at its core, a communication issue. But in a surprising number of cases, I’ve seen it triggered by candidates who felt ignored or undervalued themselves — unclear instructions, rushed interviews, or no post-interview feedback.
It’s not just junior applicants either. Even experienced professionals ghost when they feel like a number rather than a person.
Quick fix: Humanise your process. Personalise your emails. Encourage hiring managers to take time to build rapport. The more effort you invest in candidate care, the less likely you are to be ghosted.
4. They Got a Better Offer — and Didn’t Know How to Say No
Sometimes, it’s not your process at all — it’s just that another company made a faster, stronger offer and the candidate didn’t feel confident enough to reject yours directly.
We see this a lot in technical and engineering markets, where multiple offers are the norm. Instead of risking a difficult conversation, they simply go quiet.
Quick fix: Stay close to candidates post-offer. Ask questions like: “Is there anything that might hold you back from accepting?” or “Are you expecting any other offers this week?” Open the door to honest conversations.
5. Your Brand Reputation Precedes You
This one’s harder to control, but still worth thinking about. If a candidate has heard mixed reviews about your organisation — particularly online or via word of mouth — they may engage at first, but drop off once they do their research.
Quick fix: Keep your employer brand strong. Ask recent hires for Glassdoor reviews. Make sure your careers page reflects who you really are. And most importantly, treat every applicant well — because candidates talk, and reputation spreads fast.
Final Thoughts
Ghosting isn’t always personal — but it is preventable. Often, it’s a symptom of gaps in your recruitment process: slow timelines, poor communication, or unclear messaging.
When I work with internal teams on hard-to-fill or business-critical roles, one of the first things we review is candidate engagement — especially where dropouts or ghosting have become common. Small improvements in how you manage the candidate journey can have a huge impact on offer acceptance and long-term success.
If you’re battling a wave of no-shows or silent dropouts and want help tightening up your process, I offer a recruitment audit and coaching session where we can troubleshoot your specific challenges and implement fixes fast. Get in touch if you’d like to find out more.
