Job candidate ghosting is at an all-time high, leaving hiring managers frustrated as more applicants vanish without warning or explanation.

According to LiveCareer’s recent Candidate Ghosting & AI Report, a staggering 88% of human resource professionals say they have been ghosted by candidates during the hiring process, with 71% reporting the problem has gotten worse over the past year.

Ghosting occurs when job seekers abruptly stop responding and disengage from recruitment, regardless of how far along they are in the process.

The report, based on a March 2025 survey of 918 HR professionals, revealed that this growing issue now affects nearly every stage of recruitment.

“Job candidates ghosting hiring managers has become a routine challenge and can cause serious delays to a company’s recruiting timeline. Candidates are disappearing at all stages, leaving employers scrambling to fill roles and keep recruitment efforts on track,” the report notes.

Most frequently, candidates disappear after initial recruiter screening (36%), first-round interviews (26%), and even after submitting their application (22%). Alarmingly, 12% of HR professionals report being ghosted after a formal job offer has been extended.

AI and automation are fueling the ghosting trend

A prime suspect behind this rise is the increasing reliance on AI and automation in hiring.

“65% of respondents say AI has definitely contributed to the rise in candidate ghosting,” LiveCareer reports.

Another 33% acknowledge AI has had some impact on candidate disengagement.

Automation, impersonal screenings, and lack of human touch appear to be pushing job seekers away.

The findings suggest that “when hiring feels overly automated, job seekers disengage. A lack of human connection during the process can lead candidates to disappear in search of other opportunities.”

Poor communication and frustrating processes drive candidates away

The survey also explored why candidates go silent. HR professionals attribute the phenomenon to several factors:

• 54% felt candidates experienced a lack of clear communication from employers.
• 42% said candidates received a better offer elsewhere.
• 39% pointed to long or frustrating hiring processes.

Other reasons include second thoughts about the role (27%), negative candidate experiences (8%), and simply no longer needing a job (2%).

The findings suggest that there is an urgent need for tech-savvy and human-centered approaches to recruiting. Companies aiming to attract top talent must strike a balance between efficiency and genuine connection, or risk seeing more candidates turn into ghosts.

Edited by JM Nualla