The prevalence of ghosting in interview reviews on Glassdoor has surged during the pandemic, as per a report released by Glassdoor on October 26th.

In October, a striking 3.1% of interview reviews posted on Glassdoor alluded to the phenomenon of “ghosting.” This represents a staggering 112% increase since the pandemic’s onset and a 7% surge from the corresponding period last year.

The Glassdoor Economic Research team noted that abruptly discontinuing communication with a job candidate, without providing any explanation, is an obviously discourteous practice. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that 87% of interview reviews referencing ghosting reported an overall negative experience with prospective employers.

A comprehensive analysis of over one million interview reviews submitted on Glassdoor by American job seekers revealed several noteworthy trends. Ghosting was mentioned in 5.4% of interview reviews by candidates who secured interview opportunities through recruiters, compared to 3.8% of those who applied online independently.

This implies that candidates who received direct communication from recruiters were 1.4 times more likely to experience or voice their concerns about being ghosted, according to Glassdoor. Candidates with a referral mentioned ghosting in 2.2% of their reviews.

A staggering 112% increase since the pandemic’s onset and a 7% surge from the corresponding period last year.

Breaking it down by industry, candidates brought up ghosting most frequently in the media and communication sector (5.1%), followed by pharmaceutical and biotechnology (4.4%), and human resources and staffing (4.2%). Conversely, ghosting was least frequently mentioned in government and public administration (1.3%) and restaurants and food service (.7%).

It is important to note that industry data may not necessarily reflect where ghosting occurs more frequently but rather where job seekers are more prone to mentioning it in their reviews. Some industries may have candidates who are more taken aback or disgruntled by this behavior or are generally more inclined to discuss ghosting in their feedback.

The Glassdoor Economic Research team acknowledged that pinpointing the exact reasons behind the increasing mention of ghosting on Glassdoor is challenging. However, it is unequivocally clear that not only does ghosting lead to a negative candidate experience, but it also encourages candidates to openly share these experiences on a public platform.

In a Greenhouse survey, over half of job seekers reported experiencing ghosting after an interview. The report noted that underrepresented candidates had a 20% higher likelihood of being ghosted than their white counterparts, and male candidates were 28% more likely to face ghosting compared to female candidates.

Ghosting by recruiters can be attributed to a variety of factors, which can result in a lack of closure and feelings of rejection, self-doubt, and frustration. To ensure that job seekers are well-informed and feel supported throughout the hiring process, talent acquisition professionals can outline the steps in the process, provide projected timelines, and offer regular updates on the status of candidates’ applications.