Company Ghosting Candidates in the Name of Assessment Tests
In today’s competitive job market, candidates are eager to showcase their skills and land the right opportunities. Many companies, however, have developed a troubling practice: inviting candidates to complete extensive assessment tests only to disappear afterward without feedback, updates, or closure. This silent treatment, often described as “ghosting”, not only damages candidate morale but also erodes a company’s reputation as an employer of choice.
What is Candidate Ghosting?
Candidate ghosting occurs when companies stop communicating with applicants after an initial interaction — such as submitting a résumé, attending an interview, or completing an assessment test.
With assessment-based ghosting, the frustration is amplified. Candidates dedicate time and effort — sometimes hours — to complete case studies, coding tests, or design assignments, only to never hear back from recruiters or hiring managers.
Why Do Companies Ghost After Assessment Tests?
There can be several reasons behind this unfortunate trend:
- High Applicant Volume: Recruiters may not have the bandwidth to respond to every candidate.
- Poor Recruitment Processes: Lack of structured candidate management systems leads to follow-up gaps.
- Free Labor Misuse: In some unethical cases, companies use candidate assessments as a source of ideas or solutions without intention to hire.
- No Accountability: When hiring teams aren’t trained to value candidate experience, silence becomes the easy way out.
The Impact on Candidates
- Time Wasted: Candidates often spend several hours — or even days — preparing an assessment.
- Loss of Motivation: Continuous ghosting lowers confidence and increases job-search fatigue.
- Negative Employer Branding: Candidates share their experiences on social platforms, damaging the company’s image.
In essence, ghosting doesn’t just hurt job seekers — it also pushes away future talent.
Why Feedback Matters
Even a short, respectful response can make all the difference.
- “Thank you for completing the assessment. We’ve decided to move forward with other candidates.”
- Or a simple acknowledgment: “We appreciate your effort and will keep your profile in mind for future roles.”
Feedback respects the candidate’s time and maintains goodwill, even if they’re not selected.
Best Practices for Companies
- Set Clear Expectations: Tell candidates upfront about timelines and next steps.
- Automate Responses: Use recruitment software to send polite updates.
- Respect Effort: If you assign lengthy tests, ensure feedback is given.
- Avoid Over-Testing: Only request assessments when candidates are seriously considered.
- Build Transparency: Communicate hiring challenges honestly — candidates value authenticity.
Final Thoughts
In a world where employer branding is as powerful as consumer branding, ghosting candidates after assessment tests is short-sighted. While companies may believe silence saves time, it ultimately costs them in reputation, candidate trust, and long-term talent acquisition.
Respectful communication doesn’t take much effort but it makes all the difference.