Why Don’t Candidates Show Up for Interviews?

Lately, I have noticed that there is a prominent trend in the recruitment industry: more and more candidates do not show up for interviews. The HR literature calls them "no-shows". But what is the reason for this? Intuition tells us that online recruitment - especially in writing - has a lot to do with the risk of confusing an active candidate with a passive one.

What is a passive candidate?

The passive candidate is in no hurry to find a new job. He has something stable, but he keeps his options open. He wants to stay focused on recruiters and not miss the chance to find out if a better job than the one he already has is coming on the market.

And yet… why don't I come to the interviews?

The real reason is the basis of human nature: we are curious and want to know more about the world, to develop, to evolve. So we are open to the things that come to us. In recruiting, this translates to getting the attention and interest of a passive candidate - but that doesn't mean he's interested in making a change.

People want to feel sought after, wanted, valued - both in their personal and professional lives. That's why he often accepts interviews, without actually considering a real change. Thus, when they think better, they realize that they liked the idea of ​​change more than the change itself.

Reason vs. emotion

If recruitment has traditionally operated on a rational basis, we are now talking about an increasingly emotional component of recruitment. With access to the digital world and dozens, hundreds of opportunities that are displayed to us every day we are increasingly exposed to FOMO syndrome (fear of missing out). We are connected, we want to know what is happening but we remain reserved when it comes to the actual action.

Lack of commitment in the recruitment process is an issue that we need to study, understand and find solutions to. Otherwise, everyone has something to lose: time, credibility, energy, money. The current market is in a booming situation - there is more supply than demand. There are more opportunities to explore, more research channels, more ways to connect recruiters and candidates. But with this freedom, people think and change their minds more than ever.

What to do?

As recruiters, we have to better understand the candidates and give them the best possible experience. To build positive relationships for both sides and to avoid the frustrating moments when we feel that our effort has been in vain. We propose a few and we are open to your feedback. It would help!

A personalized approach

In the age of digital communication, recruitment has become quite impersonal. We use standardized forms and copy-paste emails. Even if it saves us some time, the candidates feel it and make them even less involved in the process.

When we have almost no face-to-face contact, it becomes easier for people to evade the process and not have rebukes of conscience. A more personal approach may be more effective

Flexibility and prompt responses

Often, the scheduling of interviews overlaps with an existing and rather inflexible work schedule of the candidate. Recruiters need to be flexible and understanding, to fit in more often with their schedule. If we still can't find the right time, why not hold online interviews?

Also, in a world of instant gratification offered by the digital environment, delayed responses can cause candidates to lose interest, forget, or our e-mail to be buried in many more. Thus, the speed of response becomes crucial in the recruitment process.

Get more confirmations

It is very important to receive confirmation several times before an interview. This gives the candidate a chance to reschedule if they are unable to reach the set date and time. Ideally, confirmations are emailed the day before or the day of the interview.

Ask for feedback from those who did not show up

Give an email or a phone call and try to find out what happened, why the candidate did not show up for the interview. You can find valuable information to help you improve your recruitment process. It was a timing issue or a communication issue. Didn't set expectations clear enough? Are there any other reasons you can't guess? There may be valid reasons why someone did not show up. Take the time to find out if that candidate can be considered for other roles in the future - or not.

What other insights did you have about not showing up for interviews?