When a Recruiter Ghosts You – 5 Tips

When a Recruiter Ghosts You – 5 tips

Haven’t had a whisper? When a recruiter ghosts you, it’s frustrating, for sure.

You see a job that’s just right. You invest in your CV, pen a good cover letter, send… and nothing. No phone, no email, not even a brief “thanks for applying.”

Recruitment Ghosting is on the Rise

You’re not alone. Research indicates that over 61% of job seekers have experienced ghosting by recruiters. And in turbulent economic climates like we’re currently experiencing, this phenomenon is likely on the rise. But it’s usually not about you. It could simply be timing, high volumes of applicants, or things going on internally behind the scenes.

5 Ghost Busting Tips

Here are my top 5 tips to help you keep on track

 1.  Friendly, succinct and direct follow up

Recruiters are often inundated with communication that needs following up. It’s not personal, just the nature of the work.

If you’ve not heard anything after 5 days, it’s totally fine to send a quick follow-up. Something like:

“Hi [Recruiter’s Name], hope you’re well. I’m keen to have a quick chat on my application for [Job Title]. I’m confident my track record in xyz would show me to be a quick ramp in this role and would love to hear back when you get a chance. Thanks again.”

Friendly, succinct and direct. Don’t send walls of text or it will float to the bottom of the pile for ‘tackling later (potentially never)’.

2.  Don’t let ghosting stall your search

When a recruiter ghosts you, too many people wait. Wait to be called back. Wait before calling on others. It’s always best to keep moving. Take every application as a maybe and continue applying, preparing for interviews and tweaking your resume. The more proactive you are, the more conversations you’ll stimulate and the more doors you will open.

3.  Review your CV and approach

If silence is becoming the norm, it’s probably time to take a look at what you’re sending out. Ask yourself:

–  Am I tailoring my CV and cover letter for every different opening? Although this is time consuming, this makes it easier for recruiters to skim read and see alignment (and trust me it’s always skim reading).

–  Am I highlighting results and success or just describing tasks? Your resume should be a succinct summary of core skills, projects and track records of success. Avoid lots of text about your character and excess descriptions of what you did.

–  Am I even applying for positions that genuinely fit my abilities? Always aim high but be note that if you’re applying for stuff well outside your core skills and competencies, you’re going to need to network and influence outside of your resume.

After this, ask someone you trust for a second opinion. A recruiter, a friend, or an ex-colleague who might provide a different perspective.

4.  Use LinkedIn and your contacts

These days, applying online is just one step.

Try this:

After you apply, find the recruiter or hiring manager on LinkedIn and send a short message confirming your interest. You can also comment on their posts or share something relevant to stay on their radar. And don’t forget your network. Someone you know might be connected to the company and could take a moment to do an intro. That intro can have a big impact as ‘known entities’ reduce hiring risk for a company and can significantly shortcut the hiring process.

5.  Ask for feedback if you can

If you’ve interviewed and been rejected, always ask the recruiter or line manager for feedback. Not everybody will share the whole truth with you (you’ll likely get a slightly softened version), but when they do, it can be really valuable. Even a short “Is there one thing I could do differently next time?” can give you something to proactively work on.

Final thoughts

When a recruiter ghosts you, it can hurt. But 99 percent of the time it’s not your fault.

It’s usually about timing, systems, or internal decisions. The most important thing is to stay focused on your goal and improve every step of the way. Keep on sending applications. Keep on studying. Keep on showing up.

And if you want to soundboard with a recruiter, then I’m always happy to listen and provide insights where I can. Message me anytime at jason@salientgroup.com.au