Job Application Ghosting – 8 Ways to Make a Good First Impression Instead

You’ve undoubtedly come across bad experiences when you’ve started applying for jobs. Some employers simply won’t click with you no matter how hard you try to fit into their business cultures, and that’s okay. What’s not okay however is ghosting the employers or recruiters you’ve interacted with recently.

According to a recent survey, 84% of job seekers have ghosted a prospective employer in the past 18 months. However, 75% of job seekers also attested to the fact that they’ve experienced ghosting by the employers who’ve interviewed them, never to be heard from again.

What’s the reasoning behind ghosting and why should you avoid doing it? Moreover, how can you go against the proverbial grain and leave an amazing first impression on prospective employers by being proactive, responsive, and professional instead? Let’s take a look at how you can handle your job applications more successfully with Jobs OneGlobe.

What is Job Application Ghosting?

What exactly is ghosting and how does it factor into job applications? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, ghosting is defined as “a way of ending a relationship with someone suddenly by stopping all communication with them”. While the term has colloquially found use in dating and interpersonal relationships, with the advent of Gen Z in the job market, ghosting has now been coined as a job market term as well.

Unfortunately, both employers and job seekers ghost one another without realizing that what they’re doing ultimately ruins their reputation. According to published reports, 39% of employers in the US said that it’s entirely common for job candidates to cut all communication after a job interview in 2022. From the candidate’s perspective, the reasons behind ghosting include but are not limited to a poor interview process, acceptance of other job offers, and the inability to work remotely.

As a job seeker, you shouldn’t use ghosting in any instance, whether you dislike what you’ve heard from the interviewer or have accepted another job offer instead. It’s always a good idea not to burn any bridges and to leave things off with prospective employees in good faith. So how can you make a great impression in your job application efforts and avoid ghosting employers and recruiters while doing so?

Write your New CV

1. Customize your CV Based on the Job

The first show of good faith you can do in regards to your job application is to customize your CV. Instead of applying for a job with a generic CV, why not edit your CV and make it more compatible with the job listing? For example, if you’re a graphic designer applying for a packaging designer’s position, annunciating your packaging design skills will be helpful to your employment prospects.

Jobs OneGlobe will enable you to edit your CV and even create multiple CVs to apply for jobs seamlessly. This will not only ensure that the employer is not ghosting you but also that you get invited to the job interview more quickly.

2. Prepare Before the Interview

Preparing for your job interview is essential if you want to make a good first impression, followed by not ghosting your potential employer. Once you’ve applied for a job, you should do your best to prepare for the interview by learning more about the company.

How long have they been on the market? How many prolific clients have they worked with? Are their employees generally happy and advocate for the company? The more you learn about the company, the better prepared you’ll be for any interview questions that may come up.

“A lot of us for instance are very good at our jobs but absolutely hopeless at job interviews.” ― Karl Wiggins

3. Show Up on Time (Or Early)

Showing up to your job interview on time is considered not only polite but sets a great precedent for you. With so many candidates outright ghosting their prospective employers, you can do much better by doing the opposite. If your interview is at 5 PM, show up at least 10 minutes early, or be available online 10 minutes early.

Employers will take note of the fact that you’re punctual and respectful of their schedule and give you extra points for it. Being late or ghosting the entire interview, however, will ensure that your employment prospects with that particular company will fall dramatically.

4. Be Polite and Professional

The way you speak with your interviewer will speak volumes (pun intended) about who you are as a professional. You must behave like a professional, an adult, and a self-aware individual during your interview. Answer any questions your employer might ask succinctly and without going into tangents.

Keep your surrounding in mind as well and tidy up your room or home office before the interview. You should also find a relatively quiet space for your interview so that you can both hear each other well. Most importantly, make it clear to your employer that you’re not about to resort to ghosting and that you’re indeed interested in becoming their employee.

5. Prepare a Few Questions

As the interview progresses, your interviewer will likely tell you to ask them anything you’d like to know more about. Be prepared with a few objective, informative questions for your interviewer to find out more about the job ahead of time.

This will give you more information to work with when deciding whether to accept the job offer or not. It will also eliminate any reason for ghosting since you’ll find out things about the company and the job from the source. Preparing a few hard-hitting employer questions will be seen as a positive and you’ll be perceived as an aware, reliable professional, which will work in your favor.

6. Take Notes During the Interview

A good show of respect toward your interviewer is to take small notes on what you’re discussing. Depending on the complexity of the job you’re applying for, taking notes may be a really good idea during the interview. Grab a pen and paper before the interview begins and take notes on anything that sounds interesting, worrying, or unclear.

Bring these points up after the interview is finished to ask for any clarification you may need. This will discourage you from ghosting and encourage you to reach out to the interviewer again to proceed with your job application. Not only that but employers will also be impressed by candidates who go out of their way to take notes during their job interviews.

7. Ask for a Follow Up

A follow-up is an essential part of any successful job interview. Once you’ve finished discussing the job opportunity and your potential role within the company, you should ask the interviewer when you’ll hear back from them.

This is called a follow-up, or a post-interview contact you’ll make to ultimately find out whether you’ll get hired or not. A follow-up can happen via email, a phone call, or a second video interview where you’ll discuss some more things with an employer. However, you must ask for a follow-up so that you don’t become a victim of ghosting by the employer.

8. Contact the Employer in Case of No Follow-Up

You should give your interviewer up to two weeks to decide on whether or not to hire you. After the 14-day mark, you should start worrying about whether or not the employer is avoiding you. Don’t be afraid to take the initiative and write an email to the employer, asking about your job application. Make sure that you’re polite, respectful, and professional in your correspondence.

Your employer might just have forgotten about the application altogether if they’re hiring for several job vacancies simultaneously. Ask them about your performance during the interview and whether or not you could talk again sometime soon. Mention that you’re eager to learn more about their decision and that you’re standing by, making it clear that you’re not ghosting them and that you’re still available.

“A year from now you may wish you had started today.” — Karen Lamb

Job Applications with Jobs OneGlobe

Ghosting remains a major issue in the job market. According to BBC findings, both employers and job seekers resort to ghosting instead of formally closing their relationship in case of an unsuccessful job application or interview.

However, this approach leaves a lot to be desired, as both sides may find themselves in the position where they think the other party is avoiding them. As a job seeker at Jobs OneGlobe, you should not only avoid ghosting but showcase just how committed you are to landing a great job. Start by researching what your target company is about, from their business model to culture, before the actual interview.

Be polite, professional, and attentive throughout the interview, and always ask for a follow-up. This is the opposite of ghosting and this is what employers and recruiters are looking for in the candidates they consider hiring. Reinvent the way you apply for jobs with Jobs OneGlobe and begin your new professional journey on the right foot.

Create your New CV Now!