In the home stretch, a few hours from the signing of the contract, they vanish. Others only do a few laps on the carpet before taking to the chase. Without drum or trumpet, suddenly, without warning or looking back. Candidates being recruited as recently hired employees, more and more of them are turning into ghosts, abandoning their future employer or their job without even a message or a phone call.
We knew the phenomenon of ghosting (from English ghost, ghost) on dating apps, now it touches the world of work. For a long time, being planted overnight was one of the risks of the profession in the so-called difficult sectors of catering, construction, or personal services. “A few days and then go away”, sums up Georges, a plumber near Nancy. “It’s rare to have an explanation but when it does, the same reasons come back: they found better, closer, better paid, less tiring. “
Today, the practice extends to a population of executives, who until recently respected the pas de deux with companies. No figures on the trend but, in the field, professionals confirm (most often under cover of anonymity) a spread of the sudden disappearance, in particular among those under 35. “We got used to not having any feedback when we solicit candidates, concedes Hymane Ben Aoun, founder of Aravati, a headhunting firm specializing in high-tech profiles. VSt is more surprising when you have started a real discussion, or even signed a contract as sometimes happens. ” Not long ago, after fifteen days of radio silence, a consultant with ten years of experience did not show up on the day he was hired. “He has apparently been held back by his company, but has not thought of warning us. ”
Inversion of the balance of power
Some walk away after having put one foot in their box. Patrick Barrabé, lecturer and consultant in business strategy, remembers this recruit, hired after two long months of research in the marketing department of a distribution company. Presented to all the teams, it did not reappear the next day. “We found her some time later on LinkedIn, posted elsewhere. ”
“It’s a growing problem, particularly in tech where turnover is around 20%, confirms Aude Barral, co-founder of CodinGame, a computer programming site, which also has a recruitment activity. The balance of power is then very often reversed. It is the candidates who decide whether or not to follow up on messages. ” In this sector where, according to thebiannual survey of July 2021 by Numeum, the professional union of digital companies, “95% of recruitments have already been relaunched at the start of 2021, to respond to the strong growth expected”, the post-Covid era looks furiously like the world before. With the same difficulties, if not more, to find the rare pearl. “In 2020, a number of companies froze their recruitments. At the same time, during the crisis, the only growth lever was digital, decrypts Mme Ben Aoun, from Aravati. As a result, today everyone wants to accelerate on Internet transformation projects and is looking for the same skills ”, continues the leader, who has observed a 25% increase in job offers compared to 2019.
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