Looking For A Job In The Tech Sector? Prepare To Get ‘Ghosted.’

If you’ve looked for a romantic partner anytime in the past several years, chances are you were the victim (or maybe the perpetrator) of “ghosting,” which occurs when one party is trying to communicate and the other stops responding without any explanation.

And while it’s prevalent in the dating scene, ghosting has also become a problem within platonic relationships — and it’s increasingly frustrating for job-seekers.

The downside of the tech boom

Even though the unemployment rate has been quite low for a long time and there are plenty of places actively looking for new workers, that isn’t necessarily true in one industry.

Tech firms are often overwhelmed by applications, causing some recruiters to simply not respond to prospective employees … sometimes even after the interview process has already begun.

Of course, it’s not unusual for a hiring manager not to reply to every resume that hits his or her desk. But when there’s the expectation, based on previous action, that there should be another response and that response never comes, the situation has crossed over into “ghosting” territory.

Don’t take it personally

If you find yourself ghosted during the hiring process, you might start to feel defeated and even resentful … but one person who’s been through it recently shared his experience in an effort to ease the disappointment.

Kory Kirk said he spent three hours on a “take-home test” and several more in interviews before all contact ceased. He later reached out to a recruiter at the company who was receptive to his concerns and he later realized that he’d probably just fallen through the cracks.

In the end, Kirk said there’s no reason to beat yourself up, adding: “It has nothing to do with how well you interviewed (you could be 2nd pick and still get ghosted).”

Chris Agee December 30th, 2023

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