Dinh Minh Quyen, the founder of a chain of English‑language centres in Bien Hoa, set a 3 p.m. interview for a young applicant last week. After the clock struck 2:58 p.m. with no sign of the candidate, Quyen sent a message asking where they were; the candidate replied at 3:01 p.m. that the role no longer seemed suitable.

Quyen described the candidate’s silence as unprofessional, noting that he had asked his wife to travel ten kilometres to take their sick child to the hospital in order to attend the interview.

He argued that, once an interview is confirmed, giving advance notice of a cancellation is simply a matter of respecting the other person’s time, and that such basic courtesy signals how a person will behave in a technology‑driven job market.

A May 2026 survey by recruitment platform CareerLink revealed that 23 % of employers had been “ghosted” after confirming an interview, while Bui Doan Chung, founder of the Vietnam Human Resources Profession platform, said no‑shows are most common during mass recruitment drives, occurring at a rate of 15‑20 %.

To curb these disruptions, many companies now rely on automated reminders—sent via email, SMS, digital calendars or phone calls—to learn in advance if a candidate intends to cancel or reschedule.

The episode underscores that a candidate’s failure to communicate can tarnish their professional reputation, just as employers must also honour candidates’ time. Prompt, courteous communication benefits both sides of the hiring process.