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By Suzanne Blake
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Amid a labor market marked by economic uncertainty, companies are ghosting job applicants at growing rates, according to a new survey from Criteria Corp, and experts say it's partially because companies don't need to maintain communication with job applicants.
Why It Matters
While job seekers continue to apply in high volumes, employers are overwhelmed in today's job market. The rise is linked in part to artificial intelligence tools that make it easier for candidates to mass-apply to roles, contributing to a surge of untargeted applications.
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A survey conducted by Greenhouse, which polled 2,500 workers across the United States, The United Kingdom, and Germany, found that recruiter workloads rose by 26 percent in the final quarter of 2024.
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What To Know
Roughly 48 percent of job seekers say they were ghosted by an employer in the past year, compared to 38 percent who said they'd been ghosted the previous year, according to the 2025 Candidate Experience Report by Criteria Corp.
HR consultant Bryan Driscoll told Newsweek that ghosting is up because companies view the hiring process as one-sided.
"They expect professionalism, patience, and prompt replies from candidates, and then vanish without a trace the moment it's inconvenient for them to respond," he said.
Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, attributed the rise in ghosting to the state of the country. He told Newsweek companies aren't sure which direction the economy is going in and may have frozen the hiring process. But, they're still taking applications so they can jump on a better opportunity to fill a position with a highly qualified applicant.
Criteria Corp. noted it's hard to pinpoint a single cause to why employers are ghosting candidates, but said in the report it's possible "ghost jobs" are to blame. Ghost jobs are listings for roles that companies don't intend to fill, whether that's to suggest publicly that the company is growing, or the position has already been filled.
Around 81 percent of recruiters acknowledged that their employers posted ghost jobs, and more than one-third admitted that up to a quarter of all openings they listed fell into that category, according to 2024 data from MyPerfectResume.
Despite nearly half of job seekers being ghosted by a prospective employer, 63 percent of job candidates feel optimistic about the job market, according to the Criteria Corp. survey.
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek that candidates who are ghosted by a company should just "move on."
"It's a clear sign that the employer isn't interested, because when an employer is, they'll be in constant contact with you to get you hired and start the orientation process," Beene said.
What People Are Saying
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "While all job seekers like to think they'll get the same amount of attention from an employer when applying, the reality is businesses move quickly, and when they find the right candidate or experience cutbacks that eliminate a position, they may not feel the need to share that news with other applicants. This can be very frustrating, especially if you're eagerly expecting word on a role you really want."
HR consultant Bryan Driscoll told Newsweek: "Employers have been ghosting candidates for years, long before it had a name. This is just the natural consequence of a system where job seekers are treated as disposable."
Jennifer Lee Magas, a communications professor at Nova Southeastern, told Newsweek: "Today, ghosting is on the rise because companies are overwhelmed, disorganized, or afraid to say the quiet part out loud: 'We picked someone else.' It's easier to vanish than to be honest — but it's also incredibly damaging."
What Happens Next
During the pandemic, workers had the power in job searching, but that's since shifted back to companies. Employers now have the upper hand, according to Thompson said.
"As this continues, you may see ghosting continues to increase as the job market slows and the economy weakens," Thompson said. "Candidates need to stay diligent and remember the power is now in the employer's hands."
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