How to lose a job candidate in 10 (business) days

57% of workers would lose interest in a role if they were not contacted by the employer within 10 business days of submitting their job application
35% would not take any action if they felt they were being ghosted by a potential employer while 26% of candidates would contact the hiring manager for an update
21% would blacklist an employer that fails to make contact and refuse to consider them for future opportunities
9% would not lose interest in a role regardless of the time an employer takes to contact them

Sydney, 11 September 2024 – More than half (57%) of Australian workers would lose interest in a role if they do not hear back within 10 business days after applying for a job, new independent research by specialised recruiter Robert Half finds.

Candidates will not wait to hear back from employers

When asked how long after applying for a job a candidate would wait to hear back from an employer, before they would lose interest in the role, less than one in 10 (9%) candidates are happy to wait for as long as it takes. The majority (83%) of jobseekers most commonly give employers up to one month to respond:

13% of candidates would wait less than 5 business days before losing interest in the role

44% of candidates would lose interest between 5 and 10 business days after applying

26% of candidates would give employers between 10 business days and one month to respond

8% of candidates would lose interest after waiting for a response for more than a month

9% of candidates have not and would not lose interest, regardless of the time it takes for an employer to get back from them

“Despite an easing employment market, time remains of the essence to secure top talent,” says Nicole Gorton, Director at Robert Half. “Jobseekers are often juggling multiple applications and interviews, and a slow response from an employer can quickly dampen their enthusiasm.

“Ghosting is a major red flag for not only employers, but also candidates. Being left in the dark about their application status can lead to frustration, resentment and a negative perception of the company. Top talent won't wait around. If they don't hear back within a reasonable timeframe, they'll move on to other opportunities, which can leave employers struggling to fill critical roles.”

How candidates deal with a lack of employer contact

When asked what actions they would take if they felt an employer was ghosting them, more than a third (35%) of candidates would not do anything at all. Another third (35%) of candidates would follow up with the employer, if they felt they had been ghosted or forgotten by them:

26% of candidates would request updates from the hiring manager they initially connected with

9% would try to find out more information from another contact within the company

However, almost half (45%) of workers would have a more adverse response:

21% of candidates would blacklist the company and would refuse to consider them for future opportunities

12% of candidates would drop out of the recruitment process by ghosting the employer in return

12% of candidates would want to share their experience with other jobseekers by leaving an anonymous, negative comment about the company on social media or an employer review website

“The lack of communication from employers can contribute to a negative candidate experience,” Gorton says. “And while external communication platforms like Google Reviews and Glassdoor can be effective for staff attraction, it is also the place where disgruntled candidates can air their bad experiences, which in turn can damage the employer's brand reputation and deter future applicants.

“Timely communication is key to attracting top talent so employers should acknowledge applications promptly, provide regular updates and be transparent about the hiring timeline. If confronted with high volumes of applications, companies would benefit from automating communication wherever possible by using tools like applicant tracking systems to send automated acknowledgements and status updates. This saves time and ensures candidates are kept in the loop,” concluded Gorton.

RobertHalf_slowhiring_Sep.pdf

Notes to editors

About the research

The study is developed by Robert Half and was conducted online in June 2024 by an independent research company, surveying 1,000 full-time office workers across Australia. This survey is part of the international workplace survey, a questionnaire about job trends, talent management and trends in the workplace.    

About Robert Half

Robert Half is the global, specialised talent solutions provider that helps employers find their next great hire and jobseekers uncover their next opportunity. Robert Half offers both contract and permanent placement services, and is the parent company of Protiviti, a global consulting firm. Robert Half Australia has offices in Brisbane, Melbourne, Mount Waverley, Perth and Sydney. More information on roberthalf.com/au.   

For more information    

Courtney Fletcher   

PR Manager   

[email protected]    

+61 421 209 304 