What’s got me thinking: a resolution check-in

In January, I wrote about my resolution for 2026: get rejection right. It seemed like the easiest fix in recruiting.

Nine months in, the numbers moved the wrong way. Employ’s 2026 Job Seeker Nation Report found 32% of candidates were ghosted by a potential employer this year, up from 30% last year, and more than double the share of candidates who admit to ghosting an employer themselves.

A new Aerotek survey asked job seekers what most affected their search over the past year. Employer ghosting came first, at 44%, ahead of AI tools, application fatigue, and a lack of human interaction.

That last finding is the one I keep thinking about. We spend a lot of energy worrying about whether candidates resent the AI in our process. What bothers them most is the silence.

I think ghosting persists because the hard part is the decision. Sending a no means someone has decided. When a hiring manager has not, the candidate waits, and nobody feels responsible for the wait.

In my own searches, rejection comes in three levels matched to how far someone got: a respectful note after resume review, something more personal after a recruiter screen, and a real conversation after a client interview. It takes more time. Candidates remember it. Bonus is including what you learned about them during the process and providing hope for future success.

So I am renewing the resolution for the last quarter of the year. If a candidate is waiting on you right now, the kindest thing you can give them is a decision.