In the past we’ve looked at why it’s not a great idea to ghost your recruiter. As well as potentially damaging your reputation, it shows a lack of respect and is unprofessional – particularly when you’re looking for work.

But what should you do if your recruiter ghosts you?  Should accept it or should you quickly make tracks and find a better one?

It isn’t typical for good recruiters to ghost candidates, but it can happen and reasons may vary, including:

• You’ve been unsuccessful in your application
• They haven’t found a suitable position for you yet
• They are extremely busy
• They’re not supported with good training or systems / processes

Even though we all have our human moments, none of these are a valid excuse for leaving candidates in the dark. And just as disappearing acts can impact a candidate’s reputation, the same is also true of the recruiter and the company they work for.

How your recruiter should act

As a candidate, if you apply for a specific role and the recruiter is the main point of contact, you should always be told the outcome of your application.

Recruitment goes both ways – if a recruiter needs to review 50 candidates for a role and you don’t make the cut, you should at least receive an email advising you’ve been unsuccessful, allowing you move on and apply for other roles. 

Ghosting candidates is the fastest way to develop a poor reputation and in a small town like Canberra, this can have damaging effects. No one wants to do business with someone they don’t like and every candidate could one day be a future client.

Don’t take it personally, but do take action

If you’ve applied for a role and haven’t heard back for some time, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask what’s happening. 

Ideally, you want to have 3 points of contact for your recruiter: a direct line, a mobile number and an email.  Try all 3 and if you don’t hear back within a reasonable time frame, then it’s time to look for a new one.

So what do you look for in a recruiter?

Someone you can trust, who will treat you with respect and will communicate clearly.  Ask friends or colleagues who’ve recently been through a recruitment process for recommendation and positive experiences. If they worked with a recruiter they liked, ask for their details and reach out for a chat.

Recruiters often receive calls from people who have been recommended by a client or former candidate.  Great recruiters will always try to refer them to someone who can help if they’re unable to.  The same applies if a candidate is constantly applying unsuccessfully for roles, a great recruiter will pick up the phone, have a conversation about where things may be going wrong and provide some helpful feedback.

a recruiter’s role is to bridge the gap between the candidate and the organisation that’s hiring, you should never feel embarrassed to reach out and ask how things are tracking.   At the end of the day, ghosting anyone is unprofessional and if it’s happening to you in the recruitment process, don’t stand for it.  

Find a recruiter who has your best interests at heart and give them an opportunity to do right by you.