The Rising Trend of Interview No-Shows: What’s Going On?

In recent weeks, I’ve encountered a perplexing issue during the interview process that has left me scratching my head. As many professionals can relate, waiting for candidates to join a scheduled interview can sometimes feel like an exercise in patience. However, I’ve noticed a troubling pattern that has emerged, specifically involving candidates claiming they logged in on time, only to abruptly vanish.

For context, my team conducts interviews via Microsoft Teams. I join the virtual meeting and typically wait for about five minutes. If a candidate doesn’t appear, I take the initiative to log out, thinking perhaps they’ve overlooked the appointment. It’s during this wait time that I often receive messages from candidates—sometimes as late as twenty minutes after the scheduled start—asserting that they were indeed present and waiting for me.

What’s particularly baffling is the fact that no one appears in the virtual lobby during my wait. This isn’t just a coincidence; it’s a recurring situation that seems to have escalated lately. I’ve double-checked my scheduling system to ensure that invitations are working correctly, and everything appears to be functioning smoothly.

I can’t help but wonder if others in the professional realm are experiencing similar challenges. It raises questions about potential miscommunication, technology hiccups, or perhaps candidates simply forgetting the interview time and then scrambling to save face.

As we navigate these modern interview practices, it would be valuable to hear if this trend is affecting your experience too. Are we witnessing a growing disconnect in virtual interviews, or is there another explanation for this unsettling phenomenon? I’d love to gather insights from fellow professionals as we work to refine our approach to recruitment in this increasingly digital world.