Candidate Ghosting: Australia's Latest Recruitment Headache

It’s official, ghosting isn’t just reserved for awkward online dates anymore. Australia’s recruiters are now facing their own spooky scenario: candidate ghosting. If you’ve had a promising candidate vanish like an ice cream cone on a Summer’s day, welcome aboard the latest HR horror train.

But fear not, this isn’t another doom-and-gloom article. Instead, let’s dive into why this bizarre trend is happening, the impact it’s having on Australian businesses, and how Testgrid’s cutting-edge assessment technology can help you become a certified “ghostbuster.”

GHOSTING: MORE THAN JUST A HALLOWEEN PROBLEM

A recent survey by SEEK highlighted a scary statistic: 43% of Australian employers reported candidate ghosting in 2024. Candidates vanishing mid-process, ignoring calls, emails, and interview invites, leaving HR managers baffled and frustrated.

So why are candidates pulling Houdini acts? It’s tempting to blame the TikTok generation’s famously short attention spans (easy scapegoats, right?), but let’s be fair, there’s a bigger picture:

1. Lengthy Recruitment Processes

Long, drawn-out hiring processes cause candidate fatigue. A recent Gartner survey revealed 57% of job seekers lose interest if hiring exceeds three weeks. Companies taking too long lose candidates to quicker competitors.

2. Poor Candidate Experience

Ghosting is often a mirror reflecting your own hiring process. Applicants ghost when they feel ignored or mistreated. Research from Indeed shows that 65% of candidates who experienced poor communication during hiring are likely to ghost or withdraw.

3. Skilled Talent Has Choice

Australia’s talent market has started to stabilise, with unemployment currently sitting at 4.1% according to the ABS. While the market is no longer at peak tightness, candidates are still exercising choice, particularly skilled talent. If your recruitment process is clunky, unclear, or slow, there’s still every chance your ideal hire will vanish before you can lock them in.

THE IMPACT OF GHOSTING ON YOUR BUSINESS

It’s not just frustrating, ghosting costs time, money, and opportunities. The Australian Financial Review estimated that ghosting contributes significantly to the average cost-per-hire of around $23,860. Unfilled roles put pressure on existing teams, creating morale and productivity problems that ripple through your organisation.

HOW YOU CAN BUST THE GHOSTING TREND

It’s 2025, and Australian recruiters need better tools, not just luck and intuition. Enter Testgrid, your friendly neighbourhood ghostbuster, armed with innovative solutions designed to transform candidate engagement.

Streamline the Recruitment Process

Testgrid’s assessments help reduce the hiring cycle by clearly identifying candidates’ skills and competencies early on. A simplified, fast-moving process means less opportunity for candidate interest to wane. Companies using Testgrid report reductions in time-to-hire by up to 35%.

Create a Positive Candidate Experience

Communication is key. Using Testgrid’s streamlined platform, candidates experience clear, structured interactions at every recruitment stage. Regular updates, swift feedback, and an intuitive user experience keep applicants engaged and respected. According to LinkedIn, companies improving their candidate experience see ghosting rates decrease by around 40%.

Objective Data-Driven Decisions

Testgrid’s psychometric and skills-based assessments deliver objective insights into a candidate’s potential fit and capability. Eliminating ambiguity leads to quicker decisions, removing uncertainty that often causes candidates to disengage.

Tips for Avoiding the Ghosting Trap

Here’s what you can do today:

Be Transparent: Clearly communicate timelines and next steps.
Keep it Quick: Shorten your hiring process. Testgrid’s solutions can help with this.
Value Candidates’ Time: Respect and acknowledge applicants throughout the process.
Use Objective Assessments: Eliminate guesswork and streamline decision-making.

Candidate ghosting might sound comical, but the impacts are serious. Australian companies can’t afford to lose talented candidates in an already challenging hiring landscape. With Testgrid, you can ensure your recruitment process is transparent, efficient, and candidate-friendly, sending ghosting back where it belongs: to scary movies and bad dating stories.

GET IN TOUCH

Ready to take control and become your organisation’s ultimate ghostbuster? Contact Testgrid today, and let’s make candidate ghosting a thing of the past.

If you want to talk to one of our experts about our tailored solutions, get in touch with our team here, or call 03 9040 1700 to learn more.