Greenhouse report reveals 80% of employees looking for new jobs, citing poor hiring experiences

Greenhouse, the leading hiring platform, has published its 2024 Candidate Experience Report. The report highlights candidate perspectives on the job market, their challenges and the factors they consider when applying for jobs. Greenhouse, which surveyed 2,900 job seekers in the US and EMEA regions where 200 of which were job seekers in Ireland, found that amidst a resilient job market, the majority (69%) have a confident outlook for the job market in 2024. In fact, the majority of candidates (80%) are open to a new job opportunity. Despite many companies struggling to recruit top talent, most candidates are still experiencing frustrating, inequitable and poor hiring processes.

Candidates Swipe Left on Discriminatory Practices

As cited in Greenhouse’s 2024 Candidate Interview Experience report, most (78%) candidates have experienced discriminatory questions during hiring. The most common discriminatory questions encountered during interviews relate to protected classes, such as age (37%), marital status (29%) and gender (24%).

Hiring Processes Begin to Mirror Poor Dating Habits

Over one-third of candidates (34%) report that companies have baited and switched job scopes, where the originally advertised responsibilities differed significantly once they started their role. Just under half (48%) report experiencing ‘love bombing,’ where they received excessive praise and flattery during the hiring process only to be lowballed with a salary and title that didn’t match their qualifications, skills and experience.

Instead of a reasonable starting salary, employers may promise promotions. 51% of candidates agreed or strongly agreed that despite receiving praise during interviews, the final job did not match their qualifications, skills, and experience in terms of salary and title. Many candidates experience negative aspects like ghosting and bait-and-switch tactics. Half feel their qualifications aren’t reflected in job offers.

The Candidate Experience Report found that in Ireland, more than half of applicants (57%) are frustrated to have invested considerable time in multi-stage interviews only to be rejected. In Ireland, however, this was less prevalent: only 51% of job seekers said 1-2 interviews were the maximum they would do, with 49% willing to go through a longer process of up to 6 interviews. This finding highlights the extensive nature of job hunting and the cultural differences in how much time candidates are willing to spend to find a job.

“Despite the thriving job market in Ireland and the optimism from job seekers, there is a discrepancy between reality and perception: a significant amount of candidates are experiencing problematic hiring practices,” says

 “From baiting and switching to ghosting, the trust between employers and applicants has been put at risk. Candidates commit considerable time and effort to finding the right job yet feel divided on whether hiring processes have improved or worsened. As technology transforms the hiring process, companies must prioritize transparency and equity along with innovation and efficiency. Only by being clear on expectations and communicating with job seekers can these companies find the right candidate.”

DE&I Persists: Diversity Remains Top of Mind in Job Search

Amidst a strong economy and job market growth, over a third of job seekers (36%) say Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) is still an important consideration when applying for a position, underscoring changing societal values. 40% of candidates said that they evaluate a company’s DE&I commitment by the benefits that promote equity, such as remote work, healthcare options, etc.

Poor Cultures & Flawed Hiring Practices Fuel Candidate Disengagement

Company culture plays a vital role in candidates’ decision to apply for a job. Most respondents (79%) say a company’s culture and external brand influence their decision to apply. Negative reviews on platforms such as Glassdoor or viral posts on TikTok could cause companies to lose top talent. 90% of candidates say that hearing or seeing negative information about a company’s culture or brand would affect their decision to apply.

54% of job seekers report being ghosted during the interview process. Of those ghosted, nearly one-third were ghosted after the initial conversation with a recruiter, over one-third after an interview with a hiring manager and one-fifth after receiving a job offer.

Workers value communication and employer feedback, even if they don’t get the job. 77% would be significantly more inclined to reapply to a company if they had received feedback after an interview but weren’t offered the job. The survey reveals a mix of frustrations and cautious optimism. While nearly half (47%) feel companies are improving their hiring practices, 40% believe companies have gotten slightly or significantly worse at hiring.

“For applicants, the hiring process is the first glimpse into the company culture,” said Carin Van Vuuren, Chief Marketing Officer of Greenhouse.

 “How companies treat candidates is a crucial factor; most candidates want to work with a company that values their time, communicates frequently and is transparent. Candidates pay attention to how companies treat them, interpreting it as a sign of the company’s culture. Those who can’t create a positive hiring experience risk potentially dissuading future applicants and receiving criticism and negative commentary in public forums.”

Additional survey data reveals transparency, communication and efficiency are among job seekers’ top desires for the candidate experience:

• Candidates are careful about making their applications relevant to the job – two-fifths (40%) say they need to have most of the skills and qualifications listed in a job posting before they can apply for it
• But over half (55%) felt frustrated when their skills and experience were a strong match for a role, yet their application was not selected to move forward
• The most common challenges candidates have faced in the past 12 months:
• Salary, benefits and compensation not meeting expectations (30%)
• Increased competition from other candidates (26%)
• Not enough job openings in their field (24%)
• Unclear job descriptions (17%)
• No feedback from companies and/or recruiters after rejection (17%)
• As companies are looking to improve hiring efficiency with AI, 31% of candidates have experienced a one-way interview, but candidates are utilizing AI for their advantage as well:
• On the other hand, job seekers are leveraging AI tools—from tailoring resumes (9%) to preparing for interviews (12%), answering tests/assignments (8%) and even aiding in social media outreach (5%).

For access to the full results from the 2024 Candidate Experience Report, visit the Greenhouse site here.

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