A furious debate erupted on Good Morning Britain on Monday when former Apprentice star Ryan-Mark Parsons argued that it is “empowering” to “ghost” the offer of a job interview.
The idea of ’ghosting’ is a term coined in relation to dating apps for when a person loses interest and rejects someone they have been dating or chatting with, without offering an explanation.
But a new survey conducted by the hiring platform Indeed revealed that it has also become common when looking for a job.
The survey found that eight in ten (79 percent) of Gen Z and Millennial job seekers, defined for the study as those ages 18 to 24 and 25 to 39 respectively, have engaged in ghosting. During last year.
Meanwhile, 93 percent of Gen Z job seekers said they simply hadn’t shown up for an interview.
A furious debate erupted on Monday’s Good Morning Britain when former Apprentice star Ryan-Mark Parsons argued that it is “empowering” to “ghost” a job interview.
Ryan-Mark, who appeared on GMB with Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley, who was The Apprentice’s youngest candidate in 2019, argued that ignoring an interview request can feel “empowering”.
Susanna asked: ‘How on earth is it empowering to deceive the employer?’ You just won’t get the job you wanted.
But Ryan-Mark, now 23, responded: “It’s about being selective.” He has decided not to accept that position. Why do you have to inform the employer? They don’t treat you with any respect. 75 percent of employers don’t even contact candidates after they’ve submitted an application.
‘All you’re doing is reciprocating the same kind of respect. There’s a reason you’re not showing up for the interview.
Generation Z company CEO Saffron Gilbert-Kaluba, founder of The Law Chronicle, was quick to disagree, arguing that the ghost interview practice is rude and disrespectful.
She said: ‘The person you are trying to convince has already responded to you. I feel like he is narcissistic. It makes no sense to cut off potential relationships with companies and people who could help you in the future.
‘You have to see it as life. Do you expect an answer for everything in your life? Sometimes you have to make peace without reaching any conclusion.
He added: “You feel empowered by ignoring someone who is giving you a chance.”
Generation Z CEO Saffron Gilbert-Kaluba, founder of The Law Chronicle, argued that ghost interviews were “rude” and “disrespectful.”
Presenters Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley were shocked by the statistics that 93 per cent of Generation Z have not shown up for an interview.
“I just think it’s a really bad thing about Gen Z culture to say, you know, let me hit the guy and not put in enough effort. It actually paints a really bad picture.”
Susanna added: “You may find yourself without a job offer in six months’ time,” but Ryan-Mark said it was a “minimal risk.”
He continued: ‘It takes between three and six months on average to find a new job. It is a laborious process. Most don’t even send an automatically generated email.
‘Stop being so whiny and so petulant and so sensitive. Get over! Go to another candidate.’
Ryan-Mark added that she also wouldn’t contact a restaurant to cancel a dinner reservation if she changed her mind.
A survey by GMB showed that 12 per cent believed it was acceptable not to turn up for a job interview.
Indeed’s survey asked 1,500 companies and 1,500 adults about ghosting in the workplace.
Nearly one in five Gen Zers said hiding from potential employers was “empowering” and allowed them to take charge of their careers.
Almost nine in ten said they had not shown up for their first day of work and almost a quarter said they had left work without warning.
Ryan-Mark sparked a furious debate over whether it is acceptable not to show up for an interview
Viewers were left divided after the segment, as one said: ‘How to reduce your chances of employment in one simple lesson…’
Another noted: ‘It’s called rude! Simple.’
But another agreed with Ryan-Mark: “Totally agree with the young man.” Even if it is an automated response, it is common courtesy to inform the requester if they have been unsuccessful.
‘Could you please and thank you for your morning coffee? Manners cost nothing and help a lot in life.
A final viewer concluded: ‘People of any age don’t come to interviews. Many companies don’t bother to acknowledge requests. They are both wrong.’
Companies have said the attitude towards ghosting makes the process of recruiting new staff more difficult, something Apprentice winner Ricky Martin has noted.
Several times a year, his company organizes assessment days for graduates who want to join his company, he says, but “an increasing percentage of those who have accepted an invitation simply do not show up.”
A staggering 93 percent of Gen Z job seekers admitted to ghosting or not showing up for an interview, survey finds (file image)
Lord Sugar with season eight Apprentice winner Ricky Martin
He added: “It’s a big change from the world I grew up in,” adding: “I got my first job at 13 delivering newspapers and by 16 I was earning £2.97 an hour in my local Budgens.
‘Some of the work was boring work, but I never questioned the need to do it: effort was part of the path to success. Twenty years later, I find it difficult to see the same attitude among this new generation.
‘Although many young people I recruit are dedicated and enthusiastic, their focus has changed.
‘No matter how interested they are, they come to the interview (if they turn up) asking what my company can do for them rather than what they can offer. “Young people certainly see social media influencers working from the beach and believe they should be able to do the same.”