Is ghosting really such a big deal?

Wait until you get an overly smug rejection letter that the author seemed too eager to write, and took too much joy in writing.

Some people love to reject, and would never miss an opportunity.

Another angle is -

If you've been ghosted, you still have not been told no. That means there's no record of you ever getting denied for the position.

(and maybe you really haven't been)

It's kinda better IMO

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cableshaft an hour ago | parent | next [-]

You could be waiting to hear back from one company before telling another company that may have extended an offer yes or no, and it can take a while before you determine if you're ghosted or if they're just busy and haven't made a decision yet.

	▲	tayo42 10 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		Just send a follow up email after a few days asking for a timeline.

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dofm an hour ago | parent | prev [-]

This is to some extent a generational thing, but yes. It’s rude. If you’re not ready to politely reject numerous candidates, don’t interview them.

If you get a shitty rejection letter, you should see it as a lucky escape. A rejection burns both your bridge and theirs.

If it’s especially shitty, there is nothing stopping you publishing it as a signal to others that a recruiter or employer is wasting people's time.

Especially if you just did a coding exercise that looks suspiciously like code they might put a value on.

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bitwize an hour ago | parent [-]

And this is why ghosting is a thing.

We've entered into an era when self-defense is more important than outdated notions of politesse. In dating, for instance, it's usually advantageous for a woman to ignore (ghost) a man she wants nothing to do with rather than reject him, to avoid the argument or retaliation that may come with explicit rejection. Too many bad actors have changed the strategy. If you can't handle ghosting, maybe you don't belong in the job or dating markets.

	▲	dofm 35 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		Dating is different. It's IMO fully inappropriate to draw that comparison. Professionals act professionally. Ghosting is profoundly unprofessional. It is their job to manage the process with full information. End of story. > If you can't handle ghosting, maybe you don't belong in the job or dating markets. Ehhh? This is a very weird, I think silly, perhaps even insulting thing to say. I can handle it. I just think it's fucking rude from a potential employer —- someone that I have wasted my time and perhaps might have actually risked my job security to interview with. Not every employer reacts well when they find out you're out there going to interviews, and they do find out. As a freelancer, if I go to an interview it is my time they are wasting if they aren't going to handle the process professionally.