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Avoiding the Candidate Graveyard: Keeping Talent in the Pipeline

Avoiding the Candidate Graveyard: Keeping Talent in the Pipeline

Especially in the life sciences industry, keeping talent engaged and ready to fill critical roles is no mean feat. The stakes are high, and the need for innovation and agility in hiring has never been more pressing.

If you work in recruitment or talent acquisition, you’ve likely faced the frustration of seeing candidates fall off the radar, seemingly disappearing into what many refer to as the ‘candidate graveyard’; a lost pool of candidates who have become unengaged in and dropped off from the hiring process, leaving your talent pipeline and limiting your access to talent.

In this article, we explore 8 reasons why you might be losing candidates and outline strategies to help you maintain an active talent pipeline and keep the momentum going even when immediate roles aren’t available.

Why Are You Losing Candidates?

Whilst there are many reasons why your candidates might be falling off the radar, common causes of this include:

1. Lack of Communication During the Hiring Process

54% of candidates have abandoned a recruitment process due to poor communication from the recruiter/employer, with only 58% saying they received an automated ‘thank you’ message after completing an application.

Poor communication is one of the most common reasons candidates fall into the graveyard. When candidates feel like they’re left in the dark – whether due to delayed responses, lack of transparency about the next steps, or failure to provide feedback – they lose interest. In today’s fast-paced world, candidates want clear and timely updates.

Slow, inconsistent, and non-existent communication gives them the impression that your company isn’t invested in their candidacy. If you’re not showing that you’re invested early on, candidates ultimately aren’t going to put their faith in you further down the line.

What can you do?

  • Set clear expectations about your hiring timeline, and stick to them
  • Use personalised, automated messaging to keep candidates in the loop at every stage of the process
  • Make it clear who the candidate should expect to hear from, and who they can reach out to with any queries
  • Regularly follow up, even if there’s no update, to let candidates know they’re still in the running
  • Provide constructive feedback after interviews to show respect for their time and effort. The further they get into the process, the more time you should be investing in this

2. Lengthy Hiring Processes

In an industry where talent is high in demand, dragging out your hiring process is a recipe for losing candidates. Research has shown that a whopping 92% of people who click ‘apply’ on a role never finish a job application, demonstrating the importance of streamlining the entire hiring process right from the very start.

What can you do?

  • Go into the process knowing what your ideal candidate looks like, what role they’re going to play, and when you need them to start.  
  • Use pre-screening tools and questions to assess candidates’ suitability early on, ensuring only eligible candidates put their time into an application
  • Be transparent about what the hiring process will entail, and give a clear timeline for each stage so candidates know what they’re getting into
  • Use automation tools to speed up your communication with candidates as well as for interview scheduling, video assessments, and more. Remember that automation should not kill personalisation
  • Keep the initial application simple. If you’re asking all candidates to submit a CV, write a personalised cover letter, and complete a substantial task before you’ve even assessed their suitability, expect that they’re going to lose interest fast. No one wants to give up hours of their time only to be auto-rejected soon after!

3. Mismatch Between Salary and Benefits

Compensation is still king. If candidates feel your offer doesn’t align with their skills, experience, or the industry standard, they will move on. Life sciences professionals, especially those with niche skills and knowledge, are high in demand, and will likely find a better offer elsewhere. Beyond salary, inadequate benefits, lack of flexibility, or limited career development opportunities can also make your offer less appealing.

What can you do?

  • Stay up to date with market compensation trends to ensure your offers are competitive
  • Highlight non-monetary benefits such as flexible working hours remote work options, or professional development opportunities
  • Be transparent about what you’re offering in your job adverts. If you really are limited on what you can offer candidates, don’t let people get through to multiple rounds of interviews just to turn down an offer that isn’t feasible for them

4. Misleading Expectations

70% of hiring managers have lied to job candidates during the recruitment process, with 35% admitting they frequently engage in this behaviour. The primary reason for this is to fulfil immediate hiring needs, followed by:

  • To protect sensitive company information
  • To avoid giving negative feedback
  • To control the narrative and prevent bad reviews
  • To please the candidate and increase offer acceptance
  • To exaggerate job benefits and responsibilities
  • To cover up negative aspects and protect the company’s reputation

Misleading candidates about a role’s benefits and responsibilities is a short-term fix to a long-term problem. You might be able to fulfil your immediate hiring needs by getting candidates on board, but as soon as they learn the reality of the role, you’ll only end up increasing your attrition and costing your organisation more time and money in the long run.

What can you do?

  • Be transparent about job duties, expectations, benefits, and challenges from the very start
  • Make sure the job description accurately reflects the position and is up to date. Ask an employee in the same or similar role to review it and put forward any additions
  • Give candidates a realistic preview of your company culture during interviews, and allow them to meet your current employees to give them the full picture

5. Lack of Flexibility

Like many others, the life sciences industry has seen a shift towards prioritising flexibility and work-life balance. If your company is rigid in terms of remote working and flexible hours, you’ll likely lose candidates to companies that aren’t. Even during the recruitment process, not being flexible on things such as interview dates and times can indicate to candidates that you don’t value their time and aren’t invested in their candidacy.

What can you do?

  • Highlight any flexible working arrangements in your job adverts, being clear on what your remote/hybrid working models actually look like (e.g., the ratio of days in the office vs at home)
  • Emphasise your company’s commitment to employee wellbeing and work-life balance during the hiring process, making sure you practice what you preach right from the application stage

6. Strong Competition and Counteroffers

Top life sciences talent is high in demand, and the strongest candidates often have multiple offers on the table. If a candidate receives a better offer elsewhere or a counteroffer from their current employer, your opportunity may lose its appeal.

What can you do?

  • Act quickly, don’t let top candidates languish in the pipeline
  • Focus on what sets your company apart – whether it’s innovative work, culture, or career growth opportunities
  • Be prepared to negotiate salary, benefits, or other perks if necessary to keep your offer competitive, ensuring you’re keeping up to date with the latest industry standards

7. Employer Brand and Reputation

88% of jobseekers consider a company’s employer brand when applying for a job, with companies that invest in employer branding being three times more likely to make a quality hire. Candidates may choose to walk away if your employer brand has a negative perception, whether due to online reviews, industry gossip, or a poor social media presence.

What can you do?

  • Invest in your employer brand by cultivating a positive online presence through employee testimonials, social media, and engaging content
  • Address any negative reviews or feedback transparently and show a commitment to improvement
  • Highlight your company’s mission, values, and contributions to the life sciences
  • Immerse candidates in your company culture from the very first application step, ensuring everything they see is branded, and coded with your organisation’s mission and values

Need help enhancing your employer branding? See how we can help here.

8. Lack of Communication After the Hiring Process

Keeping candidates in your talent pool, even if they haven’t been successful in securing a particular role, is essential for maintaining a robust and engaged pipeline for future opportunities. Candidates who weren’t a perfect fit for one position might be ideal for another role down the line. By nurturing relationships with these individuals, you can reduce your time-to-hire for future openings and ensure you have a ready supply of pre-screened talent.

What can you do?

  • Send personalised follow-up messages after the hiring process to thank them for their interest and encourage them to stay connected
  • Offer actionable feedback on their interview or application
  • Invite them to connect on LinkedIn
  • Encourage them to join a mailing list or talent network where they receive updates on new job openings, industry trends, and company news
  • When new roles that match their skills become available, reach out directly with personalised job recommendations
  • Continue to positively build your employer brand

Keeping Talent Out of the Graveyard…

Avoiding the candidate graveyard requires understanding why candidates are disengaging and taking proactive steps to fix the issues. This, as well as maintaining a candidate-centric approach will help you retain top talent and avoid watching your best candidates disappear.

Get Help With Your Hiring

Need help connecting with top life sciences talent? Contact us today.