Мы верим в важность знания рынка, но ещё больше верим в ценность хороших, доверительных отношений с его участниками

Candidate Ghosting: causes, effects and strategies for prevention

In today’s highly competitive job market, the term “Candidate Ghosting” has become a buzzword that worries recruiters and employers alike. Because, while there are companies that rely on the support of a recruitment consultancy, there are others where a human resources department, or the hiring manager themselves, takes care of the recruitment of new employees. As a rule, both companies and candidates want fast, open communication in order to streamline and make the hiring process as pleasant as possible. It is not uncommon, however, for candidates not to get back to companies or for companies not to give candidates any feedback.

This phenomenon is known as Candidate Ghosting. But what exactly is behind it and what can companies do about it? In this blog post, we take a detailed look at candidate ghosting and offer strategies for prevention.

What does Candidate Ghosting mean?

Candidate Ghosting can exist in two varieties. Basically, it refers to the failure to communicate between companies and candidates during the hiring process.This can occur at various stages, starting with the hiring, through to interviews to the signing of the contract. Candidates no longer respond to emails, calls or messages, leaving the employer in the dark. When communication from the company fails to materialize, it is referred to as Applicant Ghosting. When HR departments or recruiters are overwhelmed, it happens that candidates slip through the cracks, and time is not found to provide candidates with appropriate feedback within reasonable timeframes.

Causes of Candidate Ghosting:

1. Lack of Communication: Candidates often feel neglected by companies. The lack of feedback or updates can cause frustration.
2. Better Offers: When candidates receive better job offers during the process they may decide to apply for another job without explanation.
3. Unattractive Hiring Process: A complicated or lengthy hiring process can discourage candidates and cause them to drop out of the process.
4. Poor Reputation of the Company: Negative reviews and reports about the company culture may cause candidates to make a different decision.

Impact of Candidate Ghosting: Candidate ghosting has a serious impact on companies. These include:

• Delays in the hiring process: Companies must spend additional time and resources to find qualified replacement candidates.
• Reputational Damage: Frequent ghosting can damage a company’s reputation as an employer.
• Cost: The hiring process is expensive, and ghosting results in wasted resources.

Strategies to prevent Candidate Ghosting:

1. Clear Communication: Keep candidates informed about the progress of the process and give them a realistic window of opportunity for feedback.
2. Efficient Hiring Process: Simplify the hiring process to minimize hurdles and make it easier for candidates to apply.
3. Good Employer Branding: Build a positive employer brand and ensure that candidates have good reasons to join your company.
4. Improve the Candidate Experience: Make sure that candidates view their hiring process at your company as a positive one, regardless of the outcome.
5. Alternative Communication Channels: Offer different channels of communication to ensure that candidates can reach you.

Conclusion:

Candidate ghosting is a problem that many companies face. It can have serious consequences, both financially and in terms of company perception and reputation. Preventing ghosting requires careful planning, clear communication and a positive candidate experience. Companies that implement these strategies are better equipped to attract qualified candidates and successfully complete the hiring process.

At AIMS International, our qualified consultants are committed to ensuring that communication with candidates is conducted in a professional manner. Starting with an individual approach to the candidates, up to rejection in the event of an unsuccessful match, we support you as a modern personnel consulting firm in the daily challenges of recruiting.

If you have any questions regarding recruitment, talent management, or talent development, please contact us at: welcome@aims-germany.com

You can also reach us by phone in Neuss at +49 2137 7870 10 and in Kissing near Augsburg at +49 821 7100 9609.

"Bold Leadership” – Why New Responses Are Necessary"

Written by Peter Gasteiger, Partner AIMS Switzerland 

The world has always been changing. However, the pace of change is enormous: we are facing massive upheavals, such as e-mobility, the expected end of fossil fuels, the advancement of computer technology, robotics, artificial intelligence, and more. 

All these new conditions also have massive implications for the working world and how leaders must respond.

1. Necessary changes are often initially met with scepticism. Only when the purpose of these adjustments is clear, not just to top-level executives but also to the operational areas, the backbone of the company, can they succeed. This requires profound planning and well-coordinated communication. In practice, unfortunately, both are often lacking, also because potential negative reactions from those affected are underestimated. When individuals recognize the positives in the changes for themselves, they support the process. However, this cannot be imposed from above – How good are your change management processes?

2. Even though leaders must exercise the famous ‘lighthouse function,’ setting the course, certain leadership styles have become outdated. Flat hierarchies, adaptable, agile, multifunctional, international teams with decision-making powers are in demand. Teams are encouraged to experiment and allowed to make mistakes from which to learn. They are also allowed to express concerns and emotions and interact with superiors perceived as authentic, who dare to admit that some projects have not shown the expected success or have even failed – How do you experience your leaders and decision-making processes?

3. This is not equally possible in all industries, but many employees wish to work for a company that contributes to a positive societal and ecological development, that advances us. Leaders must be able to explain these larger contexts clearly. – Does this happen in your company?

4. The major macroeconomic changes sometimes require bold, perhaps even radical, responses. – Does your company provide forums where thinking big and out of the box is encouraged?

5. The demands on leaders are high, and the pressure is too. Managers need support: mentoring, coaching, assistance with setting the right priorities, respectful interaction even when opinions differ, and more. – Is this happening? 

More than ever, the success of corporate change processes is linked to the quality of leadership. Numerous examples of successful companies (of varying sizes) show that it’s possible. Therefore, a positive outlook is warranted… but it remains a Herculean task. 

At AIMS International, we understand the necessity of transformative leadership in the face of massive industry shifts. Our expertise in cultivating leaders and key personnel, combined with our ability to identify external talent and develop internal leaders, ensures that your organization can confidently navigate these changes. We offer tailored Assessments, Growth Programs, and Talent Management solutions, empowering leaders and teams to fulfil their potential and drive success in an ever-evolving landscape. Contact us to learn more. 

Adapting to the Evolution: Pharmaceutical Field Force in the Digital Age

Written by Peter Gasteiger, Partner AIMS Switzerland 

Undeniably, the role of pharmaceutical field sales must be fundamentally different from what it used to be when it was relatively easy to schedule face-to-face appointments with doctors, organize events at prestigious locations, and have more staff primarily discussing products using printed advertising and informational materials. 

Now, things have changed: 

1. Most interactions with decision-makers take place online, often combined with (multimedia) presentations. 
2. Product information is much more readily available on the internet compared to before. Consequently, discussions now tend to focus on other, highly customized questions (medical, economic, health policy-related, etc.). Effective relationship management, catering to customers’ (changed) needs and expectations, remains crucial. How can one best support them? What do they want? Empathy is required, especially towards healthcare professionals who are rarely asked how they are doing, while they tirelessly care for patients day in and day out. 
3. The range of contacts has broadened, though it still depends on the product and indication: not just doctors anymore but also hospital pharmacists, managers, nursing staff, etc. The first step is figuring out who is the best point of contact (and potentially in what order) – the famous stakeholder mapping in a strategic sales concept. The expectations of all these players, from their respective viewpoints, vary, necessitating tailored communication strategies and content. 
4. Using the right tools provides a clear competitive advantage. In other words, digital competence, considering AI, to compactly and comprehensibly convey new and targeted information. Ideally, it’s a combination of ‘digital & people’ – it’s not either/or, but both: IT-savvy, well-informed employees. 
5. All of this also significantly impacts the performance evaluation of the sales team (the KPIs relevant for bonus calculations).   

In summary, in my opinion, the pharmaceutical field force will remain important. However, different and additional skills are required due to increased complexity, a different focus, and a new environment. Meeting the requirements described above is challenging, but it’s also promising: both from the employees’ perspective, who have an interesting job, and that of their employers. 

At AIMS International, we understand the evolving landscape of the life science industry. With over 20 years of experience, our global team of experts is well-equipped to assist clients in your local market. We provide boutique-style quality on a global scale when it comes to both finding and growing leaders. Our industry and functional expertise apply to all markets, no matter the challenges posed by the changing conditions. Contact us to learn more.