Has anyone been ghosted by a recruiter or hiring manager?
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Unfortunately, it’s the new norm. Totally unprofessional since all it takes is a few seconds or minutes to let a candidate know what is happening with their candidacy. I’ve been ghosted numerous times during my search. Believe it or not, even after receiving an agreement, I’ve been ghosted. It’s unacceptable. I’ve never done that to a candidate. For the “ghost’s”, they forget that they ultimately will be in the same position themselves. Empathy is lacking.
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Many times! I interviewed 3 times at one company, did a full trial day (totally unpaid…), gave them unbelievably great designs that were saved on their computer (who knows, they might have sold them!) and…never heard a peep back. I was told to contact the hiring manager which I did, and I also went the extra step to contact the interviewer as well. No response. They were very good and responsive while contacting me to come in and do free work for them. I wasn’t able to keep any of the work I did that day for my own portfolio because they have security cameras pointed directly at the desk they had me sit at watching me behind the computer.
I interviewed at another company, did a full trial day (also unpaid), gave them exactly what they asked for, even made it better than they asked me to, added extra levels of creativity, and then…nothing. Online reviews gave 1 star and said the company owner was a real b****. I should have researched before I came in.
There have been many more unpaid trials that I’ve had to sit through, and clearly the interviewers don’t want to hire, they just want free design work. Very unprofessional. Very misleading, overall going home and thinking a week later about the embarrassment of coming in for nothing, and what a fool I was for doing an unpaid trial, taking off a whole work day - without having the luxury of “paid time off” (using up one of my so called “personal days” that I have about 3 of in a year, which aren’t paid). Lessons learned the hard way.
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Which companies Ghosted you?
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Which companies Ghosted you?
There are too many to mention. It’s just a very unprofessional approach these days and something that part of the norm.
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I am glad I am not the only one. Completely unacceptable.
I don’t think it’s helpful to list the companies. Just do your research. For example, search employee reviews on Idea Nuova.
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I’ve become numb to the ghosting. Too many stories and situations to go into. But yes it happens with both Companies and Agencies. While wrong on so many levels you just have to push through it. Kind of helps make you mentally stronger even if it’s wrong.
I don’t think there is a way for us as the work searcher to help improve the others behavior.
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they are notorious. In fact, they are always hiring because people walk off after they work there for a day. You have to scroll down on the reviews on Glassdoor to get a more accurate view of what’s happening at a company.
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Many times. Not all the time but 99% of the time. This is something else that happens. I am a freelance textile designer. I am often contacted by hiring managers on LinkedIn, asking if I m interested in working for their companies on a freelance basis. We’ll start out with great communication and then I will be asked to submit samples of my work. I spend a lot of time selecting what I think are the best designs to submit and then I will not hear back. I usually send a follow-up email to make sure that they received my designs and they will not reply to those emails either. So rude and unprofessional.
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Agencies are notorious for ghosting too. I hate being sent out on an interview by an agency and being told different information when you get there. The agency says its a full time position. The company says that they aren’t actually hiring and just want to meet a few candidates and it could be freelance with a potential for permanent placement. There are also quite a few people in HR who don’t have much industry experience and seem to reach out to people to get their feet wet.
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Tiffanys twice! , Burberry twice! Gap, Harry Winston, Gucci group, Converse( after flying me up there for a director level job) , When I think of more haha I will come back . Its so unprofessional and I am not sure why its so hard to tell people that you are not interested.
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Just to be clear, I would consider being “ghosted” as a candidate as having more than one interview and/or doing any kind of spec work/test and then never hearing anything back. (I think not saying anything at all to a candidate after an interview is rude, but understandable. They should be interviewing the best of the best, not a ton of people, in order for them to get back to each candidate, of course.)
I’ve been ghosted at least twice. Once was for a start-up. The owner interviewed me, then took me out to lunch and showed me around the office, giving me the whole spiel: “you’re perfect for this company! I just need to find where to put you! This will be your office; you should pick out your office chair and art right now and we’ll order them!” Then never heard back from her. I should have known this was odd because I have a specific/niche specialty so “I just need to find what position you’ll have within the company” was a weird statement.
Another was Silver Jeans. I normally don’t do a ton of free work/design test/spec work for an interview for all the reasons others stated above, but I did this time (mistake). I did a whole week’s worth of (very nice, if I say so) work on multiple projects for them and never heard back. I hounded JBCStyle (who sent me out on this interview) and they also ghosted me. Overall disappointing and unprofessional, but anytime you get ghosted (whether by a person or company), it’s certainly a bullet dodged!
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Yes! I agree with you ! Re: ghosting what I cited was instances of 2, 3 , 4 interviews and or doing a project presentation and then hearing nothing.
I had a recruiter from Skechers reach out to me about a potential RD role. They told me the current person was struggling in role. The recruiter contacted me at least 5 times, and scheduled an interview for me. After my interview I was never turned down or communicated with again.
I reached out and asked for feedback about my interview, no response. Then during Covid another recruiter reached out to me with an email telling me to schedule an interview and gave me a list of times free. This was 7 months after I was ghosted. No thanks.
Unfortunately, all the time. It is the new norm as another poster said. But you can take it as an indication of their professionalism and integrity, and be glad you dodged that bullet!
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I’ve only been ghosted a few times by recruiters that are not directs. other than that, most companies will ghost everyone cause recruitment firms either don’t get the job notification on time or they are radio silent with the recruitment agency.
I don’t feel so badly anymore reading these replies… I have been in the profession for many many years and was quite shocked when this happened to me a few times. Guess it is the new “norm” but it is very unprofessional! I actually have been ghosted on both sides, from companies I interviewed with as well as candidates I have screen and contacted. LOL!
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This is the worst. I’ve had this happen several times, I now ask if there is actually an open position or if they just want to meet 
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