A third of companies “breadcrumb,” or string along, job applicants by taking more time to hire in the current environment, according to a survey by Robert Half International Inc.
Cities with employers taking more time to hire included San Diego, with 48% of managers saying they are taking more time; Boston, at 47%; and Dallas and Sacramento, California, at 46% each.
“By stretching out the hiring process, companies waste critical time and resources and may lose out on the best talent,” said Paul McDonald, senior executive director at Robert Half. “Employers who are transparent with candidates and move efficiently through the process will create a positive experience for potential hires and gain a recruiting edge.”
A separate survey of workers found that 62% said they lose interest in a job if they don’t hear back from an employer within two weeks after the initial interview. That jumps to 77% if there is no status update within three weeks.
If workers feel they are being breadcrumbed by hiring managers, here is what they will do:
- Ghost the employer and drop out of the process: 49%
- Blacklist the company and refuse to consider them for future opportunities: 41%
- Vent about the experience using personal social media accounts: 27%
- Leave a negative comment anonymously on review sites: 26%
The surveys included responses from more than 2,100 senior managers whose organization hired new staff during the pandemic and more than 1,000 workers. The surveys took place from Nov. 19, 2020, to Jan. 25, 2021.