Definition

Job applicants who disappear mid-process without explanation, failing to show up for interviews or accept offers. Turnabout is fair play, given how companies ghost candidates, though HR finds it less amusing when the tables turn.

Example Usage

Our top candidate ghosted us after the final interview—just completely vanished without even a rejection email, which I guess is what karma feels like.

Origin

Adopted from dating terminology in the 2010s

Fun Fact

Candidate ghosting increased dramatically during the tight labor market of 2020-2022, giving job seekers a taste of the power companies have wielded for decades.

Source: Contemporary recruiting slang

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See “ghosts” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

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