A message from those candidates staring at the phone, willing it to ring.

Dear Decision Maker, please follow up with your candidates in a timely manner. If someone isn’t a good match, let them know. If you close out the process PROFESSIONALLY but then change your mind down the road, candidates will likely be VERY welcoming of another conversation.

In a nutshell:
1. Don’t ghost.
2. Provide a truthful update, even if it’s “NO news yet!”
3. If you have other people interviewing for the role, say so.
4. If it’s going to be a month (or however long) before a decision is made, say so.
5. Once you make a decision, say so.
6. Stop hedging your bet. It’s unprofessional, rude, and unkind.

Candidates are REAL people, NOT just a name on the screen.  They know what you’re doing and will remember how you treated them.

Just take a moment and follow up with applicants. It’s far better to tell someone that the role isn’t a good match and let them move on than it is for them to keep emotionally investing when they weren’t a good match in the first place.
Thank you so much!
Cheers,
Jane