It’s Not Just You: Candidates Increasingly ‘Ghosting’ Employers
There is no denying it: The job market is hot. Millions of Americans are on the move professionally, and many more lie in wait encouraged to take the next step in their careers.
And new research from the anonymous professional social network Blind shows workers are growing more audacious as they consider new roles.
One out of fifty professionals admitted to quitting a job without telling their manager or company’s human resources in the last year and a half, according to a survey of more than 5,000 verified professionals from Blind.
“Loyalty is for blood and country. Employment is at will in America,” said a verified Cloudflare professional in a recent Blind discussion about quitting. “Besides, you’d be surprised by how easily replaceable you are after you leave. Your team will find a way.”
Current verified professionals of Cisco, JPMorgan Chase and Oracle were more than twice as likely as other professionals to say they have left a job without telling their then-current employer. Facebook, Indeed.com, Intuit and Uber workers were also more likely than other professionals Blind surveyed to quit without saying a word.
Blind found the behavior, sometimes called “ghosting,” or disappearing suddenly and without explanation, is becoming more common in the workplace.
Twenty-eight percent of professionals also said they have skipped a job interview or stopped communicating with a company during the interview process.
But a completed round of job interviews is no guarantee a candidate will start their first day of work.
One in 10 professionals have rejected a job after signing a written offer with the company, according to Blind.
“Renege if you get something better. Not all bridges matter,” Blind user Grussell, a verified Amazon professional, advised another Blind user considering a job offer.
Intel Corporation, JPMorgan Chase, Oracle, VMware and Wayfair workers were more likely than other professionals to have reneged a signed job offer in the last year and a half, according to Blind.
Job candidates’ willingness to ignore decades-long professional norms and best practices, including reneging professional agreements, may be yet another sign the “Great Resignation” is more consequential than expected.
The bottom line
Professionals, long used to following up with employers after seeing their interview process stall without communication, have turned the table on employers. Now, job seekers, often juggling multiple interview prospects or job offers at a time, are not showing up to job interviews, their first day with a new company, or, in some extreme cases, work entirely.
Blind found many professionals have reneged a signed job offer or abandoned their job or no-showed to a job interview without communication in the last year and a half.
Methodology
Blind conducted an online survey of 5,356 verified professionals from Sept. 30 to Oct. 5, 2021, on its platform.
Survey respondents answered yes or no to the following three statements:
- In the last year and a half, I have skipped a job interview or stopped communicating with a company during the interview process.
- In the last year and a half, I have quit a job without telling my manager or HR.
- In the last year and a half, I have rejected a job after signing a written offer with the company.