Candidates dropping out? Here's what to do
Attracting the right talent can be tricky, even in a cooling labour market. If you find yourself with promising candidates who drop out during the hiring process, you might wonder what you’re doing wrong.
While there’s no guaranteed way to keep candidates engaged, certain hiring practices can help reduce common job-seeking frustrations and make it easier to attract and engage the right talent. Here’s what the experts recommend.
Why people drop out of the recruitment process
Having candidates drop out or decline an offer is a normal part of the hiring process. According to SEEK research, almost half (43%) of Australian workers have turned down a job offer. But many don’t even make it to that stage. According to Kristine Tuazon, Founder of Good People HR, one of the biggest reasons people drop out is an overly long recruitment process.
“Time kills all deals,” she says. “It’s typically a six-week cycle for recruitment, from start to finish, but sometimes this process can take even longer. In some instances, it can take up to two weeks just to get an employment offer out to a candidate.”
In other cases, people could be put off by bad online reviews, low pay, a lack of flexibility or they simply get burnt out during their job hunt after countless interviews.
The candidate experience is often a big reason why people drop out of the process, says Matt Bown, Managing Director at Ethos BeathChapman. “Employers forget that plenty of candidates are still in demand and have one or two options on the go,” he says.
“Some businesses may feel like they have plenty of time to get back to job seekers and may leave them hanging, while candidates still need to feel wanted during this process. People often lose their enthusiasm for the role if they go over a week without hearing anything.”
How to keep candidates engaged
Here’s what the experts suggest, to address job seekers’ concerns and keep them engaged throughout the entire hiring experience.
1. Streamline your recruitment process
Start by reviewing your recruitment process and seeing where it could be streamlined. Candidates start to feel fatigued if they go through countless interviews with no clear outcomes in sight. Plus, they might get another offer in that time. “Keep your process simple, short and focus on what really matters,” says Bown.
He suggests starting with a plan at the beginning and sticking to it, rather than adding extra interviews or steps later on. If you do want them to meet more team members, you can do this after an offer has gone out. “It can help with engagement once the formal interview processes are done to get them to meet the team,” he says.
2. Minimise the time between recruitment stages
Candidates are often frustrated by the amount of time spent between recruitment stages, especially when it comes to waiting for an offer. Long delays can make them feel undervalued or give them time to explore other opportunities. Reducing the time between each recruitment step not only keeps candidates engaged but also improves your chances of securing a candidate, says Tuazon. While this might be tricky if people are on leave, careful planning and clear communication can help ensure the process stays as efficient as possible.
“What people sometimes forget is that at every stage of the process, your goal is to secure the candidate,” says Tuazon. This means you don’t have any certainty until they’ve accepted the offer, even if they seem engaged.
3. Be clear about the process
Tell them upfront what to expect in the hiring process. In the first screening call or interview, give them a brief rundown of each stage of the hiring process and what candidates can expect throughout. At the end of each interview, share an update on the remaining timeline and let them know immediately if there are any changes to the process.
“Make sure that people know where they’re up to and what they’re doing – that keeps them engaged,” says Bown. “This gives them a good impression, which is more likely to end up in a good result for both parties.”
4. Communicate – even more than you think
It’s best to err on the side of overcommunication rather than leave talent in the dark, says Bown. “It doesn’t have to be a lot, even just an email straight after the interview to say ‘we’ll be in touch on this date’ so they know when they’ll hear from you. Manage expectations and deliver on them,” he says.
In an era where recruitment is increasingly automated, adding a personal touch that makes candidates feel respected can really set you apart. “People are growing tired of receiving only auto-rejection emails,” he says. “Adding a personal touch, such as addressing candidates by name or referencing a moment from their interview, shows job seekers they’re valued and makes your hiring process stand out.”
Refining your recruitment
You can’t prevent every candidate from turning you down – sometimes they simply receive a better offer. In fact, 41% of Australians surveyed by SEEK turned down a job because they accepted another one instead. But a streamlined process, clear communication and genuine respect for people’s time go a long way in improving your success rate. Candidates who feel valued during hiring are more likely to say yes, so it’s worth investing the time and effort to get this right.
While candidate drop-off is a normal part of hiring, the way you run your recruitment process can make a significant difference. Streamlining each stage, communicating clearly and consistently, and respecting candidates’ time helps keep people engaged and maintains their interest in the role.
Source: Independent research conducted by Nature of behalf of SEEK, interviewing 6,000 Australians annually. Published February 2026.