The Vanishing Hire: Why Ghosting is Still an Issue in a Weakened Job Market

Even as the job market tightens, with increased competition and layoffs making headlines, job candidate ghosting has not disappeared — in fact, it has grown more complex. Ghosting, once dismissed as a symptom of an overheated labor market, has now become an embedded behavior in a transactional hiring culture where trust is eroding on both sides.

Ghosting Definition

Ghosting—when job applicants or newly hired employees abruptly cease communication without notice—is still a prevalent and costly behavior in recruitment. While originally rooted in social and dating dynamics, ghosting in professional contexts threatens hiring efficiency, onboarding stability, and brand equity. All these issues add to costs.

Key Insights

• 10.9% of U.S. workers admit to ghosting an employer (2025 iHire Survey).

• 1 in 6 new hires quit within two weeks of starting a job.

• 93% of Gen Z job seekers report ghosting interviews; 87% have skipped their first day.

• 61% of job seekers say they’ve been ghosted by employers after interviews.

• Nearly 70% of companies have posted 'ghost jobs' — fake or paused listings.

Despite the perception that employers now hold more power, ghosting persists because it reflects a breakdown in trust, transparency, and human connection within the hiring process. Candidates are not just reacting to job scarcity — they are responding to perceived disrespect and impersonal systems in recruiting. Research indicates six primary reasons for ghosting that are still relevant.

Six Primary Reasons for Applicant or New Hire Ghosting

Based on recent literature, ghosting stems from a convergence of individual traits, structural imbalances in power, and mismatches in expectations. The six primary drivers are:

1. Poor Organizational Responsiveness or Prior Ghosting by Employers

• When candidates experience ghosting or long delays from employers, they are significantly more likely to ghost in return.

• Lyons et al. (2024) found that prior employer ghosting moderates the likelihood of applicants themselves ghosting during later stages.

• Mechanism: Perceived social contract violation leads to reciprocity-based withdrawal.

2. Aberrant Personality Dispositions (Dark Triad + Low Self-Control)

• Candidates higher in narcissism, Machiavellianism, or psychopathy—as well as those with low self-control—are significantly more likely to ghost employers.

• These traits contribute to lower regard for professional norms and higher impulsivity.

3. Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and Overchoice Fatigue

• Some candidates avoid commitment due to overabundance of job options, especially in low-wage jobs, uncertainty about “better” opportunities, or social comparison dynamics (especially among Gen Z).

• “Fear of missing out” (FoMO) is positively associated with withdrawal and no-show behavior.

4. Sudden Job Mismatch Realization or Misaligned Expectations

• Ghosting often occurs after a belated realization of poor job fit, unmet job or employer promises, or bait-and-switch tactics during onboarding.

• This is especially common among early-career candidates and those with limited pre-boarding engagement.

5. Low Commitment due to Low Cost of Exit (especially in remote work)

• Digital and remote-first hiring enables “easy exits” without emotional friction or reputational cost.

• Kantola & van Zoonen (2025) describe four types of ghosting behaviors in remote settings: scheduling, disorganized, avoidance, and irritation-based ghosting.

6. Candidate Burnout, Mental Health Strain, or Decision Fatigue

• Ghosting may be a maladaptive coping strategy when candidates feel overwhelmed, anxious, or socially exhausted, especially after long job searches.

• The “emotional cost” of delivering bad news or declining an offer prompts some to avoid all contact instead.

Conclusion

Ghosting is a complex behavioral outcome rooted in dispositional tendencies, contextual norms, and employer-candidate dynamics. While not fully preventable, it is increasingly predictable and manageable with the right signals, assessments, and responsive processes.

For strategy and tips on how to mitigate the possibility of ghosting, download the complete whitepaper.

References

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Berger, C. (2025, January 16). Employees navigate an increasingly “soul-crushing” job market, rife with fake listing and ghosting hiring managers. Fortune. https://fortune.com/2025/01/16/job-market-rife-fake-listing-ghosting-hiring-managers/

Farrell, D., & Petersen, J. C. (1984). Commitment, absenteeism, and turnover of new employees: A longitudinal study. Human Relations, 37(8), 681-692.

Frye, A., Boomhower, C., Smith, M., Vitovsky, L., & Fabricant, S. (2018). Employee attrition: what makes an employee quit? SMU Data Science Review, 1(1), 9.

Kantola, J., & van Zoonen, W. (2025). Vanishing acts: Unraveling the mystery of ghosting in remote work. International Journal of Business Communication, 23294884251342524, https://doi.org/10.1177/23294884251342524

Kelly, K. (2025, April 16). 7 taboo job search & workplace behaviors employees admit to doing in 2025. iHire Resource Center. https://www.ihire.com/resourcecenter/jobseeker/pages/7-taboo-job-search-workplace-behaviors-in-2025

Kumar, S., & Narayana, S. (2019). Ghosting behavior of job applicants: An analysis of factors driving the behavior. International Journal of Scientific & Technology Research, 8(9), 1789.

Lyons, B. D., Moorman, R. H., & Michel, J. W. (2024). The vanishing applicant: Uncovering aberrant antecedents to ghosting behaviour. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 97(4), 1427-1450.

Miraglia, M., & Johns, G. (2021). The social and relational dynamics of absenteeism from work: A multilevel review and integration. Academy of Management Annals, 15(1), 37-67.

Royle, O. R. (2025, March 7). Gen Zers are treating employers like bad dates: 93% are ghosting interviews. Fortune. https://fortune.com/article/why-gen-z-ghosts-employers/ 

Schokkenbroek, J. M., Telari, A., Pancani, L., & Riva, P. (2025). What is (not) ghosting? A theoretical analysis via three key pillars. Computers in Human Behavior, 168, 108637. 

Teichert, L. (2025). The behavioural trend of ghosting in the professional context–a scoping review on the empirical mapping of ghosting in vocational surroundings. Cogent Business & Management, 12(1), 2458759.