The newest trend? More and more CRE candidates are ghosting employers…. We know that it’s a job seeker’s market, thanks to historically low unemployment in the commercial real estate industry, and candidates now getting to choose among multiple offers. In a recent RETS’ article, we defined “ghosting” as the act of suddenly ceasing all communication with someone, in hopes that they will ‘get the hint’ and leave the subject alone. We see candidates agreeing to job interviews and failing to show up, never to be heard from again; OR some even accepting jobs, only to not appear on the first day of work.
Individuals inherently don’t like conflict or disappointing people and are inexperienced in facing the situation of being presented with several opportunities. Thus, ghosts. Many real estate firms are concerned about the growing trend of candidates who don’t show up to scheduled interviews or don’t arrive on the first day.
Recent Findings:
Indeed surveyed 900 employers and over 4,000 job seekers and found that 83% of companies that were recruiting said they’d been ghosted by candidates. Nearly 75% of them said that this is a recent phenomenon that started within the last two years! Of the job seeker’s surveyed, only 20% admitted to ghosting. The reasons job seekers ghosted varied: the job wasn’t the right fit, they received another offer, they couldn’t face telling the employer they had a change of heart, or general communication problems.
Solutions:
Due to the state of the market, there are few consequences for this behavior and only 29% of employers have strategies to stop ghosting before it starts. “Among the younger generations, ghosting has almost become a new vocabulary, in which no response is a response,” says Amanda Bradford, CEO of The League, a dating app. We see this type of behavior seeping its way into the job market.
Here are some simple solutions for employers to prevent candidates from ghosting:
- Make the process quick and painless. Don’t let your hiring process get drawn out!
- Focus on developing a personal relationship with candidates.
- Communicate in an open and transparent way. If you treat your candidates with this respect, it is more likely they will do the same with you.
Ultimately, with the tightening job market and sustained labor shortage, there has been a surge in professionals abruptly cutting off contact and turning silent. Implementing these simple tools can make a difference in your company’s ability in retaining the best talent in real estate.
Brandi Popovich, Executive Recruiter, About Brandi
The RETS Team brings a deep, strategic understanding of the real estate industry to your recruitment needs. Click here for more insights & tips.
