What to know
- Job seekers say employers are ghosting applications, while one employer says applicants are increasingly disappearing before interviews.
- One company says only two of 31 scheduled interview candidates recently showed up.
- The employer believes easy-apply platforms and mass applications may be contributing to the trend.
- The experience echoes frustrations on both sides of today’s competitive job market, where communication is breaking down during the hiring process.
More than 50,000 people applied for just 720 jobs at this year’s Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), with many telling Now Toronto they were ghosted by employers. But one Canadian company says it’s seeing the opposite problem: applicants are disappearing before interviews even begin.
The CNE is hiring hundreds of seasonal positions before the fair opens on Aug. 21, and over 50,000 job seekers have already applied. This comes after a record 54,000 applications the previous summer.
In June, the unemployment rate reached 6.5 per cent according to Statistics Canada. But for those aged 15 to 24, it’s almost double at 12.7 per cent in that same month.
During the CNE hiring process, many job seekers told Now Toronto that they’ve been ghosted while applying for jobs, but this moving company says that the problem is mutual.
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Two Small Men With Big Hearts Moving operates across Canada, with over 60 locations from Toronto to Vancouver Island. Despite many open positions and interviews lined up, the company alleges it’s experiencing ghosting from job applicants.
“People are going to move in the summertime. You don’t want to move to the Prairies when it’s -40C. So we see an increased volume in the summer, and with that volume comes an increased employment opportunity,” Andrew Giguere, director of operations, told Now Toronto. “Our company swells from around 125 employees to almost 300 in the summertime.”
But despite increased employment demand, the supply of employees isn’t matching.
Giguere says that after screening applicants and scheduling interviews, job seekers are ghosting the company.
“They won’t even show up, nor will they provide a text saying, ‘Hey, I’m late,’ or anything. They will completely ghost,” he shared.
With 31 interviews lined up, only two showed up.
Giguere says he’s seeing this trend across all provinces.
Why employers think applicant ghosting is becoming more common
Giguere says the trend is surprising given how competitive the job market has become, pointing to the more than 50,000 applications submitted for just 720 seasonal positions at this year’s CNE.
“I think there are a lot of people who apply to a lot of jobs and don’t actually intend on working at those jobs,” he said.
Giguere also thinks that easy apply on LinkedIn or Indeed might also be the culprit for unserious applicants.
How is the ghosting epidemic affecting his business?
With the moving season at its peak, Giguere shared that his company has had to reject a few jobs due to a shortage of employees.
So, he’s changed his approach to attract new employees, including adding the Performance Raise Program.
“It’s been a bit of a game changer to keep retention high… It gives our movers an opportunity to earn a raise every six months if they meet a set of KPIs that are very transparent and they see every month,” Giguere said.
He tells new applicants about this possibility, yet Giguere’s still not seeing as many applicants as he’d like.
Are you looking for a job? Check them out
To cope with the no-shows, Giguere says the company has shifted its hiring strategy by focusing more on retention and career progression. That includes a performance-based raise program designed to encourage employees to stay longer.
Giguere encourages Canadians to apply for the entry-level swamper. If you’re someone who’s reliable, open to being coached, and is good at customer service, with great availability, then this might be the end to your job-seeking days.
What is his advice for applicants and other employers amid the ghosting epidemic?
Giguere shares that setting a pathway for employees to stay at the company has “tremendously” helped him keep and attract new employees.
For applicants, he encourages them to maintain clear communication, and if a job that keeps you fit and involves travelling sounds like a dream to you, check out Two Small Men With Big Hearts Moving.
While many job seekers say they’re frustrated by employers who never respond to applications, Giguere believes clearer communication is needed from both sides of the hiring process.
