You Didn’t Get Ghosted. You Got Filtered Out by a Machine.

Ghosting isn’t new. But now it’s systemic - and harder to spot.

Across the globe, millions of professionals apply for jobs, attend interviews… and vanish. No phone call. No email. No closure.

They aren’t just ignored - they’re erased.

The Scale of the Problem

Ghosting used to be bad manners. Now it’s built into the system.

In a world of hiring pipelines, automated screeners and overburdened recruiters, candidates are routinely left in the dark.

And it’s not just frustrating - it’s deeply damaging. Especially for experienced professionals who’ve spent decades building careers, only to be cast aside without explanation.

In 2025, global surveys showed ghosting is on the rise:

• Over half of job seekers report being ghosted after interviews
• Four in five hiring managers admit they’ve ghosted candidates
• Up to one in five job ads may be ‘ghost jobs’ - listings posted with no intention to hire

But the most worrying trend? In many cases, candidates are filtered out by algorithms long before a human ever sees their CV.

AI Isn’t Neutral - It’s Repeating Our Worst Habits

Recruitment platforms promise efficiency. But they often automate historical bias.

Trained on old hiring data, these systems learn to prioritise certain words, phrases, formats and timelines - usually favouring youth, recency and linear careers.

That means:

• Career breaks can trigger rejection
• Long tenure can be penalised
• Outdated job titles or software can be flagged as irrelevant

For older candidates - especially those in their 50s, 60s and beyond - this is silent exclusion.

They’re not seen as risky. They’re not seen at all.

The result: a global talent wipeout, hidden behind screens and disguised as efficiency.

Ghosting Hurts - Professionally and Personally

When someone prepares for a role, takes time off, pays for transport, shows up and performs well - and is then met with silence - the damage is real.

It chips away at confidence. It creates shame. It plants the idea that maybe you’re too old, too experienced, or simply not worth the call.

For those made redundant after long careers, it’s a second rejection layered on top of the first.

Ghosting is not harmless. Combined with age bias and algorithmic rejection, it becomes not just rude - but cruel.

It’s Also a Brand Risk

For employers, the fallout is bigger than they think.

A candidate ghosted is often a customer lost, a story told, a warning shared.

In an age of Glassdoor reviews and LinkedIn commentary, silence leaves a footprint. Companies that ghost candidates develop reputations - and not the kind they want.

Talent is watching. So are clients.

Some Regions Are Pushing Back

• Ontario, Canada - From January 2026, any employer with more than 25 staff must notify interviewed candidates of the outcome within 45 days, or face penalties. They must also disclose salary ranges and any use of AI in hiring.
• New York City - Local Law 144 requires mandatory bias audits for algorithmic hiring tools. Employers must have independent audits for bias and publicly disclose results.

These changes are small but significant. They signal that candidate experience matters - and hiring systems must be accountable.

What Needs to Happen Next

1. Transparency in hiring - Companies should be required to communicate with interviewed candidates. It’s basic decency.
2. Audit the AI - Regular bias testing for age, gender, and race.
3. Reframe experience as an advantage - Stop rejecting the people who’ve lived resilience and leadership.
4. Call out ghosting - Silence should no longer be the standard.
5. Support international legislation - Ontario and NYC are the start, not the finish.
6. Create human feedback loops - AI can screen for basics, but humans must remain in the loop for context and empathy.

The Bottom Line

Ghosting has always been a problem. But now it’s systemic, automated and accepted.

That cannot continue.

We are facing a global employment reckoning - where extraordinary capability is erased by flawed systems, and where experience is quietly filtered out of relevance.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

We can build hiring systems that are fast and fair. We can respect people’s time, energy and hope. We can create a future where AI supports humanity - not erases it.

And we can start by breaking the silence.

#58andUnapologetic

Sources

• Greenhouse report: 61% of U.S. job seekers were ghosted after a job interview (a 9-point increase since April 2024) and 18–22% of job postings qualify as ‘ghost jobs’ with no intention to hire. 66% of historically underrepresented candidates experienced post-interview ghosting compared to 59% of white candidates.
• Criteria Corp. 2025 Candidate Experience Report: 48% of job seekers globally report being ghosted by employers.
• Wikipedia citing 2025 Greenhouse study: At least one in five job postings are fake or never filled.
• Jobright 2025 report: Analysis of 4 million applications found 67% of job applications result in ghosting - staffing agencies ghost 67% of the time versus 2% for direct employers.
• Job-Seeker Nation Report 2025: 57% of candidates expect to hear back within 3 days if not selected. Over half cite strong communication, a smooth application process, and flexible interview scheduling as key to a positive experience.
• Ontario, Canada legislation: From January 1, 2026, employers with 25+ employees must notify interviewed applicants of their outcome within 45 days, retain applicant communication records for three years, and disclose use of AI in hiring and whether a job is a genuine vacancy.

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