A growing number of applicants claim they were left in limbo after progressing through multiple interview rounds, raising questions about candidate experience and employer accountability.
For many job seekers, rejection is part of the process. Silence, however, is becoming an all-too-common frustration. While layoffs and mounting pressure across the technology sector have reshaped hiring, some candidates say the bigger issue is simply being left without any communication.
Several candidates who recently applied for roles at a records management company have alleged they were ‘ghosted’ during the hiring process after investing significant time in interviews, assessments and follow up discussions, to then be left in the lurch.
According to job seekers who spoke with KBI.Media, communication abruptly stopped after what appeared to be promising progress through the recruitment process. Some reported completing multiple interviews and being told they would receive an update, only to never hear back despite repeated attempts to follow up.
“I wasn’t expecting a job offer,” one candidate said. “But after several conversations and being told they would get back to me within days, I never heard anything again. Even a rejection email would have been appreciated.”
Another applicant described spending weeks engaging with recruiters and hiring managers before communication ceased entirely.
“It wasn’t the outcome that bothered me,” they said. “It was the complete lack of professionalism. Candidates are expected to be responsive and respectful of a company’s time. The same standard should apply in reverse.”
The issue highlights a broader challenge facing today’s labour market, where candidate experience has become an important factor in attracting and retaining talent. While employers often focus on customer experience and brand reputation, poor recruitment experiences can affect both.
One candidate who spoke with KBI.Media argued that organisations often underestimate the long term commercial impact of poor candidate experiences and the potential downstream impact.
“Candidates don’t just disappear after an interview process,” they said. “They become customers, partners, board members, investors and decision makers. Treating candidates poorly doesn’t just damage your employer brand…it can quietly cost you future business.”
The rise of online employer review platforms has also amplified candidate frustrations. Increasingly, applicants are sharing their experiences publicly and some even turning to social media to air their frustrations. This potentially influences how prospective employees perceive an organisation and the difference between working there or not.
The records management sector has undergone significant transformation in recent years as organisations modernise information governance, compliance and data retention practices. Competition for experienced talent remains strong across technology, cybersecurity, compliance and information management.
For employers, the solution may be relatively straightforward… to just communicate.
Even an automated update or a formal rejection can provide candidates with closure while helping preserve an organisation’s reputation.
As hiring competition intensifies, candidate experience is no longer just a human resources issue. It is increasingly becoming a reflection of organisational culture.
For applicants left refreshing their inboxes weeks after an interview, silence may be sending a message louder than any rejection letter ever could.
Editor’s Note: This article is based on interviews conducted by KBI.Media with multiple candidates who independently described similar recruitment experiences with the same organisation. The company has not been identified. The experiences and opinions expressed are those of the interviewees. KBI.Media has not independently verified every aspect of the candidates’ accounts, and any allegations are presented as the interviewees described them.
