Ghosting in the workplace

K, bye?

January 17, 2024

Hey hey! For anyone else currently living in the frozen tundra, just a friendly little reminder that there are only 62 days left until the official start of spring. I’m all for a good snowstorm but the “-2 degrees and feels like -25” vibes just aren’t it.

Song of the day: The hold that Ella Henderson’s “Ghost” had on me in 2014…I think about that song almost as often as the job I applied to six months ago and still haven’t heard back on.

—Rod

The Office Is No Place for a Ghost

From employers who, as the great Dua Lipa says, “go Houdini” on a candidate after a few interviews to job seekers who dodge follow-up emails from HR, work is imitating our dating lives a little too much lately. 

I’m talking about ghosting in the workplace, because is it just me or is it happening more and more these days? As if my F.O.R. (fear of rejection) isn’t already at an all-time high…

But in the office as on the dating apps, we know what’s really at the core of the ghosting epidemic: communication. So today? Let’s talk about improving our communication skills (even in not so fun conversations) so you can stop Irish exiting email threads.

When you’re the one doing the hiring

Some Rod lore: Once upon a time, after multiple promising conversations with the CEO of a company I really wanted to join, I never heard from them again. Poof, gone. And as much as I’d rather not receive a rejection email, I'd prefer that clean break to holding out hope.

Sure, sending a rejection message isn’t the most fun thing to do, but in the end it provides clear communication so both sides can move on.

Something short and sweet works great, like:

Dear ________, 

Thank you very much for your interest in [company name]. While we enjoyed getting to know you and your experience is quite impressive, at this time we’ve chosen to go in another direction.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Looking forward to keeping in touch should any other positions open up that you might be interested in.

Way to go, ghostbuster. Easy peasy.

When you’re the one submitting your CV

One main reason job seekers disappear on potential future employers? The company turns out to be different than they originally thought.

So when you’re the one in the driver’s seat and the job looked better on paper, it’s a good idea to be up front and honest instead of disappearing in the email Bermuda Triangle. To let a company down gently, try something like this:

Dear ______,

Thank you so much for your time throughout my interview process. While I’ve appreciated getting to know more about [company name], I have decided to pursue something else at this time.

I wish you and your team all the best, and thank you again.

Stopping the ghost vibes in their tracks. We love to see it.

When you’re not sure who’s doing what

And as if all of that professional ghosting weren’t enough, ghost job postings are another spooky workplace trend haunting job boards and LinkedIn listings. These job posts (that don’t even actually exist) are leaving applicants in the dark when they apply and never hear back. 

Why do some companies do this?

• To make it look like the company is growing
• In case a star candidate applies 
• To make it seem as if they’re hiring more help when employees ask for some support 🥴

So the next time a job decides to channel Casper—as frustrating as it is—this could be why!

Got a Q for me to A? Submit yours here.

Things To Send Your Work Besties

……right after you have yourself a little midday treat..

Today in millennial trivia: If you’ve been singing “Sean-de-Paul” at the beginning of any Sean Paul song, you’ve been singing it wrong this whole time. He just revealed he’s actually saying “Chanderpaul,” the name of a famous Caribbean cricket player, despite what we were all singing in 7th grade.

“Win together, lose together, teammates.” Zac Efron guesses the movie with some of his most iconic lines with Variety.

Not to brag but I’ve been making this paleo Chocolate Chip Banana Bread recipe from Wholesomelicious for years and taste testers have confirmed it never disappoints.

Thanks so much for reading! Hope the rest of the week is cozy for you…stay warm out there!

IDK WHAT DO I KNOW?! LMAO!

—Rod

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