Job ghosting | Brits don't hear back from more than half the jobs they apply for

British job seekers don’t hear back from more than half (55%) of the jobs they apply for, according to new research.

Global matching and hiring platform Indeed surveyed 1,000 working people and 1,000 hiring professionals in the UK shows that the hiring process is inefficient for both job seekers and businesses, delaying the right candidate being matched with the right role. 

According to ONS data, there are 916,000 job vacancies in the UK, but with frustrations around the hiring process, these aren’t set to be filled quickly or effectively. 

Not hearing back hurts job seeker confidence 

Silence is harder than rejection for job seekers, as 86% would rather hear back and get a no, rather than not hear anything at all. In fact, 41% saying not hearing back from employers significantly impacts confidence in their job search. Half (52%) also say when they don’t hear back from a job it makes them wonder if they should be searching for new work at all, meaning staff are sticking in roles they are unhappy and less productive in.