Ghosting in Recruitment - Candidate Experience Survey

Ghosting in Recruitment - Candidate Experience Survey
Thank you for taking the time to fill out this survey. This questionnaire is part of an academic research study and should take approximately 3 minutes to complete. Your responses are completely anonymous and confidential. There are no right or wrong answers. Please respond based on your own honest experience.

Ghosting in recruitment means: A recruiter or company stops all communication with you during the hiring process without giving you any update, rejection, or explanation.
Name*
Email ID *
example@example.com
18 to 21 years22 to 25 years26 to 30 yearsAbove 30 years
MaleFemaleNon-binaryPrefer not to say
No experience ( student / Fresher)less than 1 year1 to 3 years3.1 to 5 years5 to 8 yearsmore than 8 years
1 - 1011 - 2021 - 3031 - 40More than 40
IT / Technology / Software / SaaSBFSI (Banking, Financial Services, Insurance)Consulting / Strategy / ManagementFMCG / Retail / E-commerceManufacturing / EngineeringHealthcare / Pharma / BiotechMedia / Advertising / PR / CreativeEducation / EdTechOther
Indian MNC (e.g. TCS, Wipro, Infosys, Reliance)Foreign MNC (e.g. Google, Deloitte, P&G, McKinsey)Indian Private Company (not an MNC)StartupGovernment / PSU / Public sectorOther
Company career page / Official websiteLinkedIn Easy Apply (one-click)LinkedIn (full application, not Easy Apply)Naukri.comIndeedShine / Monster / FounditInternshala (internships or fresher roles)Campus placement / College driveEmployee referralDirectly contacted by recruiter via LinkedIn/email/callJob fair or walk-in interviewOther
SECTION B: Your Ghosting Experience
Yes, it happened multiple times across different companiesYes, it happened once or twiceNo, I always received some form of response or updateI am not sure
After I submitted my application (I received no acknowledgement at all)Received application acknowledgement, but no further responseHR contacted me on call/email/linkedin/naukri, but no response after I shared resume / showed interest.After one or more rounds of interview (I was interviewed but received no follow-up)After the final round of interview (I completed all rounds but was never given a decision)After the company made me a verbal or written offer (I was given an offer but communication stopped)I have never been ghosted
Less than 1 week1 to 2 weeks2 to 4 weeksMore than 1 monthI am still waiting / I am still unsureI have never been ghosted
No I did not follow up. I assumed the process was over.Yes I followed up once and received a proper response with update, outcome (eg. position filled/on hold /cancelled etc )I followed up once but received no response at allI followed up multiple times and eventually received a responseI followed up multiple times but never received any responseI was told evaluation is still going on and later ghosted
LinkedIn postAmbitionBox reviewGlassdoorGoogle reviewTold friendsShared in WhatsApp groupsDid nothing
SECTION C: Recruiter Communication Quality

Think about your most recent hiring experience where you interacted with a recruiter or hiring team. Rate each statement based on how that recruiter or company communicated with you throughout the process. Rating: 1 = Strongly Disagree 2 = Disagree 3 = Neutral 4 = Agree 5 = Strongly Agree
The recruiter communicated clearly about the hiring process, timelines, and next steps at each stage.*
I received timely responses from the recruiter after each stage of the process or whenever I followed up.*
Even when the company decided not to move forward with my application, I was informed about that decision.*
The recruiter treated me with respect throughout the process and made me feel that my time and effort were valued.*
SECTION D: Your Candidate Experience

These questions are about your overall experience as a candidate - how you were engaged, kept informed, and treated. Rating: 1 = Strongly Disagree 2 = Disagree 3 = Neutral 4 = Agree 5 = Strongly Agree
The hiring process at this company was conducted in a fair and transparent manner from start to finish.*
I felt that candidates were treated equally and without bias during this hiring process.*
I was given enough information to understand what was happening and what to expect at each stage.*
Even though I may not have been selected, the way the overall process was handled felt respectful and professional.*
The recruiter was actively engaged with me during the early stages — they initiated communication, showed interest, and gave me the impression I was a strong candidate.*
After a period of active communication and engagement, the recruiter or company suddenly stopped responding without any explanation.*
SECTION E: Your Perception of the Company as an Employer

Based on your overall experience with this company during the hiring process, rate each statement from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree).
Based on my hiring experience with this company, I have a positive impression of it as a place to work.*
I would apply to this company again in the future only based on the hiring experience I had during this hiring process.*
I would recommend this company to my friends or colleagues as a good employer to consider applying to.*
My experience during the hiring process has changed the way I view this company overall.*
I would avoid purchasing from or using the products or services of this company because of how I was treated during hiring.*
SECTION F: Your Thoughts
Describe how you felt when the recruiter went silent after actively communicating with you. What was going through your mind?*
Mention one change you think companies should make to improve the hiring experience for candidates in India?*
Thank you for completing this survey. Your responses are anonymous, confidential, and extremely valuable to this research.
Should be Empty:

Ghosting in Recruitment - Candidate Experience Survey

SECTION B: Your Ghosting Experience

SECTION C: Recruiter Communication Quality

SECTION D: Your Candidate Experience

SECTION E: Your Perception of the Company as an Employer

SECTION F: Your Thoughts