"Hired but No-Show: Companies Burned by Gen Z Ghosting... 1 in 10 Exclude Them Entirely"

US Gen Z "Ghosting" Leaves Companies Struggling

"Failing to Show Up on First Day, Then Disappearing"

Hiring Practices of Companies Also Cited as a Cause

In the United States, a trend known as “ghosting”—where individuals accept a job offer but fail to show up on their first day or abruptly cut off contact—is being increasingly reported. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced among Millennials & Gen Z job seekers, adding to the hiring challenges faced by companies.

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"Accepted a job offer, but then disappeared"

On August 9, local time, Fox Business reported that 'ghosting' among young job seekers is emerging as a new issue in the hiring market.

According to a survey conducted last year by the job information site Resume.io of 1,115 hiring managers in the United States, 54% responded that after making an offer to a Gen Z candidate, the applicant stopped communicating.

This ghosting behavior occurred both before and after onboarding. Of the reported cases, 27% involved individuals who accepted a job offer but failed to submit the required documents, while 26% completed the contract but did not appear on their first day. Additionally, in 29% of cases, employees started work for several days or weeks but then cut off contact without notifying the company of their resignation.

Studies also show that ghosting is especially prevalent among Millennials & Gen Z compared to other generations. According to a report released in March last year by U.S. current affairs weekly Newsweek, 41% of Gen Z job seekers admitted to cutting off contact with a potential employer during the hiring process. The figure was 37% for Millennials, 26% for Gen X, and 22% for Baby Boomers.

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Ghosting by younger job seekers is placing a burden on corporate recruiting as well. In the Resume.io survey, 66% of hiring managers said that ghosting by Gen Z has made the hiring process more difficult. Forty-seven percent said their trust in Gen Z candidates has decreased, and 34% stated that they now prefer older applicants over before. Ten percent even said they had completely excluded Gen Z applicants from their recruitment pool.

"Candidates aren't the only ones to blame"

However, some argue that the issue cannot be solely attributed to Gen Z’s work ethic. A lack of trust in companies’ hiring practices among younger generations is also cited as a reason for ghosting. It is not uncommon for applicants to receive no feedback after submitting their application, or for the hiring process to be delayed for weeks. The emergence of so-called “ghost job postings,” where it is unclear if a real job exists, has further eroded the trust between employers and job seekers.

Indeed, in the U.S., controversy has arisen over “ghost jobs”—positions advertised by companies without genuine hiring intentions. Just last month, the state of Texas launched an investigation into LinkedIn over allegations that it exposed job seekers to postings where the company’s intention to hire was uncertain.

Kara Dennison, Head of Career Advice at Resume.io, pointed out, “Completely excluding Gen Z from the talent pool could also be a burden for companies,” adding, “Employers need to address issues such as slow hiring processes and poor communication as well.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.