How to lose a job candidate in 10 (business) days
- 57% of Kiwi workers would lose interest in a role if they were not contacted by the employer within 10 business days of submitting their job application
- 31% would not take any action if they felt they were being ghosted by a potential employer while another 31% of workers would contact the hiring manager for an update
- 18% 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
Auckland, 31 October 2024– More than half (57%) of Kiwi 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.
Workers will not wait to hear back from employers
When asked how long after applying for a job a worker would wait to hear back from an employer, before they would lose interest in the role, less than one in 10 (9%) workers 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:
10% of workers would wait less than 5 business days before losing interest in the role
47% of worker would lose interest between 5 and 10 business days after applying
26% of worker would give employers between 10 business days and one month to respond
8% of workers would lose interest after waiting for a response for more than a month
9% of workers 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, prompt action is crucial to securing high-quality talent,” says Ronil Singh, Director at Robert Half. “Qualified professionals are often juggling multiple applications, and a slow response from an employer can quickly dampen their enthusiasm for the job.
“Ghosting is a major red flag for not only employers, but also jobseekers. Silence about their application status can lead to frustration and a negative perception of the company. Top talent in New Zealand are in high demand, and 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 workers deal with a lack of employer contact
When asked what actions they would take if they felt an employer was ghosting them, almost a third (31%) of workers would not do anything at all. Many workers would follow up with the employer, if they felt they had been ghosted or forgotten by them:
31% of workers would request updates from the hiring manager they initially connected with
15% of workers would try to find out more information from another contact within the company
However, others would have a more adverse response:
18% of workers would blacklist the company and would refuse to consider them for future opportunities
10% of workers would drop out of the recruitment process by ghosting the employer in return
10% of workers would share their experience with other jobseekers by leaving an anonymous, negative comment about the company on social media or an employer review website
“Being left in the dark by an employer can contribute to a negative candidate experience,” Singh says. “And while external communication platforms like Google Reviews and Glassdoor can be effective for staff attraction, it is also the place where displeased candidates can share their disgruntlement, potentially damaging the employer's brand reputation and deterring future applicants.
“Responsive communication is a powerful tool for attracting top talent so employers should acknowledge applications promptly, provide regular updates and be transparent about the hiring timeline. If dealing with high volumes of applications, companies would benefit from automating communication wherever possible to keep candidates informed and engaged while saving valuable time,” concluded Singh.
RobertHalf_NZ_slowhiring.pdf
About the research
The study is developed by Robert Half and was conducted online in June 2024 by an independent research company, surveying 501 full-time office workers across New Zealand. 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 New Zealand has an office in Aukland. More information on roberthalf.com/nz
For more information
Courtney Fletcher
PR Manager
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+61 421 209 304
