In a single quarter last year, over 14 million job seekers were left without any response to their applications.
This alarming statistic sheds light on the growing frustration among US job hunters, especially as long-term unemployment rises.
In response, leading job search platforms are introducing new tools aimed at improving the hiring process and ensuring companies remain accountable for how they treat applicants.
Major Platforms Tackling the “Ghosting” Epidemic
Three of the largest job sites—LinkedIn, Indeed, and Greenhouse—are rolling out new features designed to make the hiring process more transparent for applicants.
- LinkedIn has introduced “responsiveness insights” to show applicants which job listings are actively being reviewed by employers. This feature is still in its testing phase but is expected to be available sitewide soon.
- Indeed is improving its “responsive employer” badges, first introduced in 2018, by adding detailed information about an employer’s response time. They have also launched a mobile app for hiring managers to help streamline communication with applicants.
- Greenhouse is testing a set of four badges to verify companies’ commitment to fair and respectful hiring processes. These badges cover areas like communication, preparedness, and fairness, and are awarded to companies that meet certain standards.
Transparency in Action: How New Features Benefit Job Seekers
These new tools aim to address a major pain point for applicants—being left in the dark after submitting an application or attending an interview.
According to Greenhouse, half of all applicants report being ghosted after an interview, leaving them uncertain about their chances.
By introducing these transparency features, platforms hope to reduce job seeker frustration and improve the overall experience for both candidates and employers.
For instance, LinkedIn’s job match feature uses artificial intelligence to suggest positions that align with a user’s qualifications, encouraging them to apply only to jobs where they have a higher chance of hearing back.
In addition to helping applicants, these features are designed to make the hiring process more efficient for companies overwhelmed by the growing number of job applications.
AI-driven tools can help employers manage the flood of resumes and ensure that top candidates are not overlooked.
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Greenhouse’s Badges: Raising the Bar for Employer Accountability
Greenhouse’s four badges aim to promote ethical hiring practices. Companies can earn badges in the following categories:
- Respectful: Employers who ask for applicants’ pronouns and send confirmation emails.
- Communicative: Employers who clear out active candidates for closed roles and send rejection emails.
- Prepared: Employers with a clear interview structure and evaluation criteria.
- Fair: Employers who anonymize resumes and ensure unbiased hiring decisions.
Jon Stross, cofounder of Greenhouse, emphasizes the badges are designed to hold companies accountable for treating applicants with respect.
He said:
“Inside that company you have some recruiting leader who’s saying, ‘I want to treat people well. We should be sending out rejection emails and not ghosting folks.’”
“Most folks don’t get all four badges,” he said. “Our view was that if we made it too easy, it would be meaningless for candidates.”
Real-World Impact: Companies Leading the Charge
Some companies, like satellite imagery firm Planet and alarm clock maker Hatch, are already seeing the benefits of these new tools.
Clarence Lal, Planet’s head of talent acquisition, views the Greenhouse badges as a way to measure how well their hiring process is working.
He told Fortune Planet has earned the “respectful” and “fair” badges and is working on earning the “communicative” and “prepared” badges.
Lal has seen positive results from these changes, including a 43% reduction in the time to hire and a 5% increase in the rate of candidates accepting offers.
He attributes this success to the company’s focus on creating a more respectful and efficient hiring process.
Similarly, Hatch has earned the “respectful” and “communicative” badges and plans to earn the others soon.
Despite the challenge of handling a high volume of applications, especially for highly sought-after roles, the company believes that the badges will help applicants better understand which employers are committed to treating them fairly.
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The Future of Hiring: Balancing Efficiency with Human Touch
As job seekers continue to face challenges in securing employment, these new initiatives aim to bring much-needed transparency and accountability to the hiring process.
By encouraging employers to respond to applicants in a timely manner and adopt fair practices, platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, and Greenhouse are working to improve the experience for job seekers and companies alike.
While AI-driven tools can help streamline the hiring process, they can’t replace the human touch. Employers must remember that behind each resume is a person who deserves respect and consideration.
As the job market evolves, the focus on improving the candidate experience will likely continue to grow, benefiting both job seekers and businesses committed to a fair, efficient, and transparent hiring process.
