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- It's hard to know what to say when a recruiter goes quiet – or "ghosts" you – after a job interview.
- Insider spoke to three careers experts for their views on how you should frame your response.
- Don't jump to conclusions, wait another business day, and then use an email template, they said.
It's hard to know what to say if an employer ignores you after a job interview, a practice known as "ghosting." It can leave you angry, disheartened, and wondering what you did wrong.
Ghosting is nothing new, but the pandemic has arguably made it worse. Being ghosted can damage a person's wellbeing, research has suggested.
You're entitled to feedback, so you should always chase for it – a maximum of three times before giving up, according to Charlotte Davies, a careers expert at LinkedIn.
If you're ghosted by a company or recruiter, here's how you should frame your response, according to three careers experts.
Wait before chasing – then use this template
Wait until the first business day after you were due to receive a response before reaching out again to the recruiter via email, Lindsay Mustain, a careers coach and host of the Career Design Podcast, said.
She provided a short template to frame your email.
Start with this:
'"I wanted to reach out and say thank you for your assistance in the interview process. I enjoyed meeting with [insert interviewer's name] and believe I can [insert where you feel you can bring your expertise and value to the company and position.]"
If applicable, add this:
"'I did want to let you know that I am also interviewing with another company and anticipate that I will be scheduling a final interview with them this/next week or anticipating a job offer.
"I am very interested in this opportunity with [insert company name] and wanted to be transparent about my other process."
End with this:
"I am looking forward to hearing back about the next steps."
Mustain said that, "In this example there is no finger-pointing or name-calling."
If no response arrives, Mustain recommended following up with one more similarly-worded email, then moving on.
Think about laying the groundwork immediately after your interview
While you can't control whether a recruiter gets back to you or not, there are things you can do ahead of, or immediately after, your interview to improve your chances of not being ghosted.
Keep the ball rolling with the recruiter, Davies said. After your interview, make a point of asking the recruiter, hiring manager, or interviewer if you can follow up with them, Davies said.
But don't lay it on too thick, Simon Wingate, the managing director of the job search site Reed.co.uk, told Insider.
"There's an important difference between showing interest and being over-zealous," he said.
Listen carefully for their preferred method of communication - whether that's via email or phone - and be respectful of any response times they mention, Wingate said.
Sending a friendly email or quick call thanking the interviewer for their time and inquiring about the next steps could boost your chance of securing the job, he added.
Don't jump to conclusions
There are potentially many reasons why a recruiter hasn't got back to you, so try not to jump to conclusions.
They likely have a number of roles they're hiring for or have a long list of candidates, Wingate said.
Martin said that "being short or cross with the recruiter will do you no favors."
"This is not the time to operate with anything other than kindness," she said.
Do you have an experience of being ghosted and want to share it? Reach out to this reporter via email ([email protected]).