Health Notes

READ THE LATEST ON HEALTHCARE RECRUITING AND CAREERS

Stop the Ghosting

Stop the Ghosting

by Olivia Sloane, Senior Healthcare Recruiter at K.A. Recruiting

As recruiters we all have those candidates who just never get back to us. We call, text, email, and the silence will grow louder and louder each message sent. Ghosting is part of the job we all live through those moments but there are ways we can stop this from occurring right from that first conversation we have with that candidate.

Find their motivations and their push for looking

Once you get on the phone for the first time with that candidate start to know their why. What is missing from their current employer? What is making them unhappy right now? Find their motivators and then match which of your clients will meet their needs and wants. You need to find out what is important to them and why they need the change. Find what is missing and be that missing piece, to piece everything together for them. If we find out what is important to our candidates and we deliver what they are looking for, that builds on the trust you have with that candidate and will ultimately lead to a lower chance of them ghosting you. If you have what they are looking for, they will want to talk to you and have that relationship with you. Make sure to find out what they are really prioritizing in their job search and make sure those things are at the top of the list.

               Set boundaries

Again, the first phone call and that first connection with that candidate is EVERYTHING. At the end of the day, we are trying to make placements and everything is business. When you get on the phone with that candidate for the first time, be upfront and set some guidelines. For example, if you say to candidates – “If at any point you are no longer interested in my opportunities, please just let me know.” This line is so simple yet so important and will hopefully open up a better line of communication. Set clear boundaries of when your candidates should get back to you as well. Set the guideline with them from that first conversation, if they can try and get back to you within 24 hours of a message being sent to them. If boundaries are set this will allow candidates to know when to contact you and what you are expecting from them. If they are not meeting the expectations and start ghosting you, have an honest conversation with them and remind them of your boundaries and guidelines.

               Be on the same page

You might not have that amazing next step for that candidate and if you try to make that candidate commit to something that they do not want for that next step and you both are not on the same page, the odds of them avoiding you are very high. Our candidates want to be heard and understood in their job search, and if you are not listening, they will stop answering and avoid you at all costs. Know what they want and create the match that will interest them the most. We are here to make the job search easier for candidates, not make it more stressful by making them commit to something they do not want. If your candidate has become more distant- ask more questions, understand what is going on. Address the issue and determine what next steps you have to take in order to get their head back in it. Did they uncover something with the employer they did not like? Location doesn’t work for them? Tackle the issues and hesitations head on, do not dance around the unknown. If you and your candidate starting falling off the same page, they will most likely not prioritize communicating with you and look elsewhere.

Why You Should NOT Ghost Your Recruiter

Everyone is busy, there is no time for anything anymore. We get it. A job search is extremely time consuming and you are most likely looking for another position while also working your current full time job. If you are interested in a position a recruiter presents you with, always be transparent. If you can provide a timeline to your recruiter of when you would like to start something and especially if you are searching for something down the line and not right away, make sure to let them know. It is important for your recruiter to know of any potential delays and to let the employer know as well. If you ghost your recruiter and do not communicate with them in a timely manner, the employer will notice something is going on and the chances of you losing out on an opportunity are high. A second chance is never ensured if you are making an employer wait.

It is important to be upfront with your recruiter and let them know if you need some time, rather than ghosting them. Ghosting your recruiter harms both parties involved. You will miss out on a great opportunity and ruin your chances of others coming your way and the employer that recruiter is working for, will also become skeptical and frustrated. There is a 100% chance that you will miss out on other great opportunities if you tarnish the relationship you have with your recruiter. Healthcare may seem like a big world, but at the end of the day it is a small community and everyone knows everyone so you as a candidate want to keep an excellent reputation. The job market is always changing and you as a candidate want to make sure you keep great relationships with everyone, especially your recruiters, because you never know what might come along!

Search Jobs