Losing Candidates in the Hiring Process

(And How to Stop It)

Hi there! I’m Richard Brock, Associate Director at Energi People, leading our passionate Talent Team.

If you’ve ever scratched your head wondering why promising candidates disappear halfway through your recruitment process? Because you’re not alone. Hiring the right person adds enormous value to your business—but losing them mid-process? That costs time, money, and often your competitive edge. So why are you losing candidates int he hiring process?

Here are three practical ways to improve your recruitment strategy and secure the talent you need.

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Communication: The Fastest Way to Win (or Lose) a Candidate

Speed and clarity are your best friends in recruitment. Candidates today move quickly—and so should you.

• Missed a call? Call back.
• Email threads too long? Pick up the phone.

In a candidate-short market, every moment counts. Strong, responsive communication shows you’re serious. Don’t sit on promising CVs. Interviews should be scheduled swiftly before another employer snaps them up.

And whether a candidate is successful or not, always offer feedback. It shows respect, boosts your employer brand, and gives you (and your recruiter) clearer insight into what you’re really looking for.

Direct Contact:  Close the Deal

Want to make better hires, faster? Stay closely connected to your recruitment consultant—They can keep the candidate sweet, will know what else they are looking at and keep you updated.

Having a direct line to the hiring manager avoids mixed messages and speeds up feedback. Especially if its a technical role as the acquisition team may not be familiar with some of the nuances of a role. If that’s not possible, ensure your recruiter is empowered to drive the process and emphasise the importance of candidate experience.

Clear feedback is gold—especially in a fast-moving market where silence often equals rejection. And trust us: ghosting candidates can cost you future hires. Word travels fast.

The “Perfect” Candidate Might Not Exist (But the Right One Does)

We get it—finding that unicorn with the exact qualifications, experience and software knowledge sounds ideal. But holding out for a carbon copy of your last star employee might leave you empty-handed.

Be open. Be flexible.

A strong CV might miss that one keyword, but the person behind it could be full of energy, potential, and transferable skills. Which is why partnering with a specialist recruiter is essential. They will learn your business and become an extension of your business, ensuring that the talent they send you is worth looking at.

Give people a chance to surprise you. You might just find your next game-changer in an unexpected place.

Further Reading

• Is your Hiring Process Costing you Candidates?
• Explore our Latest Job Openings
• More Hiring Tips & Blogs from Energi People

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