1 in 4 Job Seekers Have Ghosted a Potential Employer
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Ghosting has become one of the most frustrating breakdowns in today’s hiring process, leaving both employers and job seekers in the dark. The Vanishing Candidate Report, a new survey of more than 1,000 U.S. workers, reveals that while most candidates do not believe ghosting potential employers is acceptable, one in four job seekers have done so, and many say they would disengage from employers after a negative or unfair hiring experience.
Key Findings
- One in four job seekers (25%) have ghosted an employer at some point during the hiring process.
- Accepting another job offer is the most common reason candidates ghost employers, and negative hiring experiences often accelerate disengagement.
- Nearly four in 10 job seekers (39%) say they would consider ghosting if a hiring experience felt unfair or poorly handled.
- Among job seekers who use AI, only 8% says it has made them less responsive to employers.
Candidate Ghosting Extends Beyond Early Applications
While most job seekers (75%) say they have never ghosted a potential employer, LiveCareer’s data shows that when ghosting does occur, it isn’t confined to early-stage applications.
When ghosting occurs:
- 15% stopped responding after submitting an application
- 13% stopped responding after a screening call or interview
- 8% stopped responding after receiving a job offer
What this means: Employers cannot assume candidate engagement is secure simply because a candidate has progressed to later stages. Ghosting can occur at any point in the hiring process, not just during the early application stage.
Why Job Seekers Are Ghosting Employers
Candidates most often disengage after accepting another job, but experience-related friction remains a widespread risk factor throughout the hiring process. Bad experiences in the job search, including a negative interview experience or poor communication, an inaccurate or misleading job description, and an overly automated, AI-driven hiring process, collectively are strong drivers of candidate ghosting.
Top reasons job seekers stopped responding:
- 51% accepted another job
- 32% lost interest in the role or company
- 23% cited a negative interview experience or poor communication
- 23% said pay or benefits were not competitive
- 19% said the job differed from how it was described or seemed misleading
- 12% said the process felt overly automated or impersonal
What this means: Candidates ghosting employers is largely a product of a competitive job market that requires submitting a high volume of applications to land a role. This increases the likelihood that a candidate will receive a competing offer or shift their attention to employers who communicate more quickly, set clearer expectations, and provide a smoother hiring experience.
AI Is Not the Main Driver of Candidate Ghosting
As AI becomes more widely used, it is often cited as a reason job candidates disengage. LiveCareer’s data suggests AI plays a more limited role, with many job seekers not yet adopting these tools for the job search, and only a small share reporting negative effects on responsiveness.
- Only one-third (34%) of job seekers say they have used AI tools such as ChatGPT or resume generators to apply for jobs.
- Among job seekers who use AI, only 8% say it made them less responsive, either by leading them to apply to roles they weren’t interested in or to apply to more jobs than they could track.
What this means: AI plays only a limited role in candidate ghosting, with little evidence that it is causing a significant drop-off. Among job seekers who use AI tools in their job search, only a small minority report that it negatively affects their responsiveness.
Ghosting Isn’t Acceptable Unless the Hiring Process Is Broken
Most job seekers say ghosting is unacceptable, but poor or unfair hiring experiences can quickly change that sentiment.
- 73% say ghosting a potential employer is not acceptable behavior.
- 70% say worries about damaging their professional reputation influence whether they ghost.
- 39% say they would consider ghosting a potential employer after a bad or unfair hiring experience.
What this means: Most job seekers view ghosting as unprofessional, but that standard can shift quickly when candidates encounter a negative hiring experience. When employer communication is inconsistent or unclear, or the process feels unfair, candidates are more likely to vanish.
Clear Communication & Transparency Keep Candidates Engaged
Job seekers are most likely to remain in the hiring process when employers communicate consistently, set clear expectations, and do not rely too heavily on AI.
What would prevent candidate ghosting:
- 29% – Consistent communication and timely updates at each stage
- 25% – Transparency around salary, expectations, and hiring timelines
- 23% – Clear timelines for next steps and expected response windows
- 16% – Accurate job descriptions that reflect the role
- 13% – Meaningful feedback after interviews
- 13% – Reduce automation and increase real human interaction
What this means: Candidate engagement depends heavily on consistent communication, clear expectations, and transparency throughout the hiring process. Employers who prioritize this are less likely to see candidates vanish.
The modern job search can be exhausting, with candidates often applying to hundreds of roles before landing an offer. When hiring processes create too much friction, candidates naturally turn to employers who communicate clearly and set transparent expectations. With so many active job applications in the pipeline, it only takes one competing offer for a candidate to vanish, making thoughtful, responsive hiring more important than ever.For press inquiries, contact Elizabeth Buccianti, senior manager, public relations, at elizabeth.buccianti@bold.com.
Methodology
The findings presented in this report are based on a nationally representative survey conducted by LiveCareer using Pollfish on February 12, 2025. The survey collected responses from 1,008 U.S. adults who are currently employed and explored their experiences communicating with potential employers during the hiring process. They answered different types of questions, including yes/no, open-ended, scale-based questions where respondents indicated their level of agreement with statements, and multiple-choice where they could select from a list of provided options.
Participants represented a broad cross-section of the working population in terms of gender and age. The sample included 52% male respondents (528) and 47% female respondents (477). Age-wise, the distribution was also balanced: 14% were aged 18–28 (Gen Z), 27% were aged 29–44 (Millennials), 29% were aged 45–60 (Gen X), and 30% were aged 61–79 (Baby Boomers). All participants were screened to ensure they were currently residing in the U.S. and actively employed at the time of the survey. The data collection adhered to Pollfish’s quality control standards to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the results.
About LiveCareer
LiveCareer's online Resume Builder is designed to empower its users to get better jobs and improve their job search. A one-stop shop among AI resume builder tools, LiveCareer features cutting-edge resume templates, a powerful cover letter builder, and extensive free career resources to support job candidates in reaching their professional goals. Used by over 28 million job seekers around the world, LiveCareer has been publishing expert advice from Certified Professional Resume Writers since 2005. LiveCareer’s career tips have been featured in renowned media outlets, including Bloomberg, Forbes, and Newsweek. Stay connected with LiveCareer's latest updates to improve your job search on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
