October 30, 2018

Ghosting Recruiters
The term âghostingâ first appeared in the Urban Dictionary as a term referring to dating: âquietly disappearing from someone youâve met in an online dating site.â The hope is the âghosteeâ will just get the hint and leave the ghost alone, saving him or her the trouble of telling the other that theyâre no longer interested.
Ghosting is widely considered a cowardly and immature communication practice, which makes it hard to explain the behavior when practiced by recruiters tasked with finding talent for their employers. One of the most common complaints I hear from job seekers is the lack of communication from companies they apply to. Writer Devon Maloney starts her post on ghosting at The Daily Good by saying, âIâm still in the running for a job I interviewed for in 2014. At least, I think I am? I never heard one way or another.â
Maloney writes that ghosting has become more prevalent, according to young job seekers, and happens within every size and level of company. In fact, the cooler and more desirable the company or job is, the more disposable candidates seem to be. Candidates are asked invest hours of time on multiple interviews (and sometimes travel) and even deliver work samples before finding that the recruiter just fades away. Repeated phone calls and followed up emails are simply ignored.
Maloney speculates that companies treat candidates this way, well, because they can. She writes âWhile bound by discrimination and other labor laws in choosing employees, companies have no pre-employment obligations, communication-wise, to potential hires. Ironically, neither national human resources organization I contacted responded to multiple requests for comment.â
Energy Vampires (Courtesy of Jon Gordon)
Energy Vampires are âthe people who drain your energy and suck the life out of you and your goals and vision if you let them.â Here are his tips for dealing with them.
- If you encounter Energy Vampires in your daily life remember Gandhiâs words âI will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.â
- If you have a personal friend or a friend at work who is an EV you may decide to talk to them about their negativity. If you have a strong relationship with them and they know you care about them, they may be open to your advice. But remember Energy Vampires canât see their own reflection. They may not realize they are an Energy Vampire. Proceed with caution if you decide to go this route. And if you do, do it with love.
- If you have a neighbor that is an EV and itâs one of those days where you just donât want their negativity to impact you, run away as fast as you can when you see them. Just say you have something in the oven.
Zombie Managers
Writing for Forbes online, Victor Lipman says zombie managers are distinguished by their longevity. âEven if their age is hard to judge, theyâve been with the company seemingly forever. Theyâre impossible to do away with. Undeterred by previous disasters, they remain in the role. Employees hopeful for a change in management donât know how they do it. Youâd think theyâd have been long gone long ago, but somehow they survive. Against all odds, they keep coming back.â
Here are Lipmanâs signs you may have a zombie manager:
No verbal communication: Speaking with employees, communicating, understanding what employees want and need⌠none of these are high on their list of priorities. Their natural state is silence. You often wonder what thoughts, if any, are coursing through their brains.
Robotic in their responses: To the extent thereâs any actual two-way communication, it feels robotic, mechanical, almost lifeless. New ideas are routinely snuffed out with a barely audible, âThis is the way weâve always done it hereâŚâ
Control by fear and menace: Minimal leadership is demonstrated, and equally little organizing or planning. To the extent they have interest in any of the classic managerial functions, itâs control â and control accomplished by a sense of fear and menace. Their employees arenât motivated by enthusiasm for the job or company, but by an acute sense of dread when projects go awry. Itâs management by fear, a practice sometimes effective in the short term but not sustainable for the long term.
If you have a zombie boss, your only hope may be to move on to another job. Just be wary of what may be fly-by-night companies or get "witch" quick schemes.
Have a terrific Halloween.

Bio: Candace is a blogger, columnist, career coach, and futurist based in Jacksonville. She writes an employment column for the Jacksonville Business Journal and is frequently interviewed by the media on employment issues. Her writing on business and career issues has appeared in several national publications and websites. Her blog @Work covers career and employment issues and is followed worldwide.
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