We’ve all heard this story time and again....you find a great candidate, they seem excited and interested, but at some point in the hiring process, they ghost you. No communication, no explanation – just gone.
If candidates are ghosting you, it might be time to take an honest look at your hiring process – from start to finish. Far too often, companies unintentionally deter great candidates before they even set foot in the building.
Here are the top 10 ways companies lose talent before day one and how to stop making these mistakes:
1. Lack of Feedback During the Hiring Process
Leaving candidates in the dark – not responding to applications, not providing feedback after interviews, or going silent after extending an offer – implies that their time and effort aren’t valued.
If they don’t feel valued now, why would they trust that it will be any different as an employee?
2. Interview No-Shows & Tardiness
Candidates rearrange their schedules and often prepare extensively for interviews. When the hiring team doesn’t show the same commitment – like not showing up or arriving late for an interview – it signals disorganization and a lack of respect, immediately eroding trust.
3. Rushing Through the Interview
When hiring managers rush through conversations, treating interviews like a checkbox instead of an opportunity, candidates feel shortchanged. Worse, it gives the impression that there’s not enough time to fully evaluate them or their potential.
If they don’t feel prioritized now, they will assume they won’t be a priority later either.
42% of candidates decline job offers because of a bad interview experience -SHL
4. Not Selling Your Company
Interviews are a two-way street – it’s not just about screening candidates. Candidates are simultaneously evaluating your company too. Don’t miss the opportunity to sell your mission, your culture, and your vision.
What sets your company apart from the rest?
5. Failure to Show the Facility
Giving candidates the chance to see where they’ll be working, even virtually, can build excitement and help them visualize themselves as part of the team.
When they can’t picture where they’ll work or what the environment is like, it’s harder to feel emotionally invested in joining.
6. Disorganized Onboarding Process
If the onboarding process isn’t proactive and clear, new hires may question your internal operations – and some will walk away before ever starting. Common pitfalls:
- “I haven’t received my paperwork yet.”
- “I haven’t gotten first-day instructions.”
- “I start Monday, and I don’t know where to go or what to wear.”
Few things derail a new hire’s enthusiasm faster than disorganization between an offer and day one.
69% of employees are more likely to stay with a company for three years if they experience great onboarding -Click Boarding
7. Changing Requirements Mid-Process
Changing job requirements or qualifications mid-process can send candidates spinning. If they’ve already interviewed or even accepted an offer, shifting expectations creates significant confusion and distrust.
And it’s one of the fastest ways to send them looking elsewhere.
8. Lack of Communication After the Offer
The time between offer acceptance and day one is crucial. Regular, human check-ins from managers or team members can maintain momentum and make new hires feel welcomed and connected.
9. Not Addressing Questions Promptly
When candidates ask about benefits, paperwork, or first-day logistics and get delayed responses (or no response), their confidence in your company starts to erode.
Timely, thoughtful responses reinforce that they’ve made the right choice.
10. Underestimating the Emotional Journey
Starting a new job can be exciting but also nerve-wracking. Every touchpoint between the offer and the first day either builds trust and excitement – or plants doubt and anxiety. Treat this time as part of the employee experience and nurture it with intention.
One study found that 87% of job seekers have new job jitters – saying that starting a new job is scarier than a trip to the dentist, holding a spider, or skydiving. -Monster.com
Final Thoughts
A candidate's experience throughout the hiring process lays the foundation for the experience they expect to have as an employee. If you're making any of these mistakes, it's likely deterring new hires before they even get started.
The good news? These mistakes are all preventable. Respecting candidates’ time, communicating clearly, and ensuring a seamless onboarding process can drastically improve your offer-to-start conversion rates – and reduce the ghosting.
Every step of the hiring process should be an intentional part of your talent strategy. Need help getting started? Contact us today.
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