Job seekers are increasingly being ghosted during the hiring process, with some candidates reporting that employers disappear after interviews, finalist stages or even verbal job offers.
A new survey from NumberBarn of Americans who applied for jobs within the past year found that 93% had applied for at least one position and never received a response. The communication problem often continues after candidates make it further into the process.
Employers Are Ghosting Candidates Deep Into The Hiring Process
Nearly two-thirds of job seekers, 66%, said an employer stopped communicating after they had spoken with or interviewed someone at the company.
For some, the silence came even closer to the finish line. Eighteen percent said they received a verbal job offer before the employer stopped communicating.
Among those who were ghosted after advancing in the process, 38% said it happened after a first interview, 13% after a second or later interview, 8% after a final interview and another 8% after being told they were a finalist.
Miami ranked first among the metro areas surveyed for employer ghosting, followed by New York City, Washington, D.C., Austin and Seattle. The ranking gave greater weight to ghosting after interviews and verbal offers.
Automated Hiring Is Making Some Candidates Walk Away
Automation is also becoming a source of frustration. Sixty-five percent of respondents said they interacted with an AI or automated system during a job application or interview in the past year.
Nearly half, 48%, said they had stopped pursuing a job because the hiring process felt too automated or AI-driven. The share was higher among Gen Z workers at 59%, compared with 48% of Millennials and 38% of Gen X.
The survey also found widespread suspicion around job postings themselves. Sixty-nine percent said they had applied for a position they later suspected was not actually available or that the company was not actively hiring for.
That has fueled calls for greater oversight. Eighty-five percent of respondents said they believe laws should regulate job postings for positions companies are not actively trying to fill.
Job Seekers Are Ghosting Employers, Too
The communication breakdown is happening in both directions; thirty-four percent of job seekers said they had intentionally stopped responding to an employer because of how they were treated during the hiring process. Another 37% said they had withdrawn from consideration because the process was taking too long.
Poor communication can also cost employers candidates before an offer is ever made. More than half of respondents, 56%, said they had stopped applying to or considering a company because of poor communication during hiring.
Gen Z reported particularly high rates of ghosting on both sides. Twenty-four percent said an employer ghosted them after a verbal offer, while 16% said they had ghosted an employer after accepting or verbally agreeing to an offer.
The consequences extend beyond individual applications; sixty-one percent of respondents said their experiences with the hiring process have made them trust employers less than they did a year ago.
