Recruiter ghosting

+fast-growing strategies & engineers over paydays

Author

Keith Weightman
July 07, 2025

Signal Summary: Recruiters are ghosting candidates like they’re dodging an ex, fast-growing firms are focused on 3 strategies, and engineers are trading paychecks for yoga classes and daycare. Plus, how a recruiter discovered his candidate’s dirty little secret.

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HERE’S WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK ↓

SIGNAL 1
Recruiters Are Ghosting Harder Than a Bad Hinge Date

The Dirty Secret: 55% of candidates get left on read worse than a drunk text at 2 a.m. Companies are playing “apply and pray” while job seekers are begging for a crumb of communication.

The Wake-Up Call:

  • 78% of candidates want regular updates, like, you know, basic human decency.

  • Proactive engagement slashes time-to-hire by 50%, because talking to people actually works.

  • 73% of top talent are passive job seekers, just waiting for you to stop sucking at outreach.

Translation: While you’re ignoring candidates like they’re spam emails, the smart players are wooing them with Netflix-level personalization before roles even open.

Signal → Strategy: Audit your communication game before candidates start a Reddit thread about your ghosting. Build automated nurture campaigns that hit passive talent with behavioral triggers like job saves or repeat site visits.

SIGNAL 2
Fast-Growth Staffing Firms Crack the Code (While Others Panic)

The winners' playbook: While 27% of agencies watched revenue shrink in 2024, fast-growth firms (21%+ growth) are focused on three specific strategies.

What separates winners from wannabes:

  • 62% plan new software purchases vs. 37% of struggling agencies

  • 86% have formal referral programs vs. 60% of no-growth firms

  • 70% use AI for candidate qualification vs. 51% overall

The disconnect: Most agencies are still playing checkers while fast-growth firms have mastered chess. They're not just buying technology - they're investing strategically in revenue-generating automation.

Signal → Strategy: Audit your tech stack against fast-growth benchmarks. If you're not automating compliance and candidate qualification, you're leaving money on the table while competitors speed past you.

SIGNAL 3
Engineers Ditch Cash for Childcare and Spin Classes

The Shift: Engineers are officially over chasing bigger paychecks, choosing workplace perks like gym memberships and daycare over cold hard cash. The “money ain’t everything” era is here.

The New Priorities:

  • 52% would rather have benefits like childcare or healthcare than a fatter salary.

  • 50% have taken pay cuts for roles that feel meaningful (vs. 40% globally).

  • 84% say work-life balance is their top dealmaker when picking jobs.

Reality Check: With engineer demand set to skyrocket 80% by 2030, they’re holding all the aces. They want companies that treat them like humans, not coding machines.

Signal → Strategy: Help clients redesign compensation packages beyond salary. Position against competitors still throwing money at retention problems while talent craves belonging and flexibility.

RECRUITING CONFESSIONAL
How I Discovered My Candidate's Dirty Little Secret

Recruiting Confessional A weekly series featuring anonymous stories from recruiting and staffing professionals. Submit yours here.

The Setup: Standard Tuesday afternoon - quick bathroom break before my 1:30 interview. Simple routine that was about to get very complicated.

The Disaster: Washing my hands when I see someone walk out of a stall and head straight for the door. No sink stop, no hand washing, just a confident stride toward freedom. "Gross," I thought, then forgot about it.

The Plot Twist: Receptionist calls - my 1:30 is here. Walk to the lobby and there he is: Mr. Skip-The-Soap himself, hand extended for a professional greeting like nothing happened.

Quick thinking saved me. "I have arthritis, so I'm unable to shake hands." He totally bought it. Interview went fine, but I spent the whole time wondering what other hygiene shortcuts he takes.

The Lesson: Claiming arthritis is the perfect excuse to avoid questionable handshakes - just don't overuse it or people will start bringing you aspirin.

Got a story? Submit yours here.

SHARE THE SIGNALS
3 people you should share these signals with:

  1. That recruiter spamming “You’re background is impressive” Inmails.

  2. The small business owner convinced nobody wants to work anymore

  3. Your client who thinks a foosball table fixes turnover woes.