Southern Miss Business Fall 2024

Left in the Dark: The Rising Trend of Employer Ghosting

There is an unsavory trend occurring among employers… ghosting job applicants. Ghosting happens when an employer ceases communication with an applicant. Imagine you apply for a job that you are really excited about. You are invited for an interview, think it went awesome, and are even more interested in the position. The interviewer told you they would contact you within the next week to inform you about your status. One week goes by with no contact. Two weeks go by, and there is still no contact. You email and leave a voicemail with the interviewer, and it's radio silence. You never hear anything from the interviewer. You assume they hired someone else, but you would really like to know something definitive. You’d really like to see what you could do to improve your application in the future or discuss other possible opportunities. Still, you are in an information void, and now you probably question whether you want to work for this company at all. You may feel something is wrong with you, or you did something wrong in the interview, but you have no way to put these doubts to rest or improve. This is not good for applicants or employers, but unfortunately, ghosting has become an unofficial standard practice for most employers. It is important to note that ghosting goes both ways, and job applicants frequently ghost employers in the hiring process. In fact, 78% of job seekers report ghosting a prospective employer. However, this column focuses only on the employer-based practice.

There are several possible reasons why employers ghost applicants:

• The volume of applicants for some jobs and employers may be challenging to manage.
• No one likes to give bad news; you never know how someone will react to rejection.
• Employers may be hedging their bets somewhat. They may have a preferred candidate they are negotiating with and want to keep others in the applicant pool.
• It could indicate a bad company culture or poor hiring practices.
• The company’s situation could have changed due to restructuring, financial conditions, etc., and they decided not to fill the vacancy.
• Internal delays in decision-making or waiting for approval from upper management can lead to delayed communication.
• Interviewers may hesitate to tell someone why they were not hired due to legal concerns about saying something the applicant could misconstrue.

Regardless of the reason, leaving applicants hanging isn’t a good thing, and the negative connotations of ghosting applicants should not be ignored. Negative perceptions of ghosted applicants can have a chilling effect on future applications. Employers can develop a reputation for treating applicants poorly, and you can find such sentiments on social media and places like Glass Door and Reddit. It can also affect the bottom line, as poor communication of this nature can harm your brand and make applicants less likely to become customers. Ghosting applicants can also impact employee morale, retention, and referrals by current employees. There are a few simple procedures that can be implemented to avoid this type of hiring practice at your organization:

1. Develop policies about communicating with applicants after making a hiring decision.
2. Develop standard communications (email or phone script) to notify applicants of rejection. Consider a candidate relationship management software to manage applicant communication.
3. Outline the hiring process steps to applicants so that they feel informed about where they stand in the process.
4. Provide realistic expectations for when applicants can expect to hear from you after an interview. Don’t make promises you can’t keep.
5. Provide training for managers and interviewers so that they understand the importance of clear and timely communication.
6. Designate a person responsible for keeping applicants informed of their status and ensuring they provide regular updates, even if it is to say there is no news.
7. Offer constructive feedback to unsuccessful applicants so they understand the outcome and positively perceive the company.
8. Streamline your hiring process to minimize delays, which will minimize communication delays.
9. Solicit candidate feedback and use the information to identify communication gaps and improve your hiring process.

Ghosting job applicants can have serious repercussions for employers, from damaging their reputation to reducing the pool of future applicants. While there may be various reasons for ghosting, the negative impact on the applicants and the organization is clear. Employers must take proactive steps to address this practice if it is happening in their organization. I’d be interested in hearing your experiences with this practice.

Welcome Back Cookout

The fall semester started off strong with the annual Welcome Back Cookout. This tradition is one of our absolute favorites as we celebrate the beginning of another exciting year with our business students, faculty, and staff! Special thanks to Coca-Cola Hattiesburg, Sonic, and Insomnia Cookies, who generously supported the celebration.

Meet the Firms

The Southern Miss School of Accountancy hosted Meet the Firms, connecting accounting students with 32 well-known firms and organizations who have locations all across the country. Meet the Firms is an important event that allows student attendees to gain insight about internship and career opportunities within the accounting field while providing networking opportunities with representatives from accounting firms, corporations, and other professional organizations.

Experience Business Casually

Students had the opportunity to connect with more than 50 industry professionals at Experience Business Casually, an event designed to make networking fun and intimidation-free. With 20 interactive discussion stations covering essentials like financial tips, building a personal brand, dressing to impress, resume advice, and mastering the art of small talk, students walked away with valuable advice and practical tools for their academic and professional journey.

Scianna Hall Spooktacular

Things got spooky at the Scianna Hall Spooktacular this Halloween as a way to celebrate the season and foster community within the college! Southern Miss Business celebrated the spooky occasion with pizza, cookie decorating, and a costume contest that brought out some truly creative looks. The lucky contest winners not only claimed bragging rights but also scored exclusive Southern Miss Business merchandise.

Business Career & Internship Fair

At Southern Miss, preparing students to be Ready for Life is at the heart of what we do. This semester’s Business Career & Internship Fair, hosted by USM Career Services, brought together top employers from diverse industries, including major names like Cintas, Enterprise, and the FDIC. The event gave students a chance to explore potential careers, make meaningful connections, and take the next step toward their professional goals.

Southern Miss Business Tailgates

This football season, we’ve been showing our school spirit by tailgating in the Scianna Hall Courtyard before every home game. From delicious food and yard games to festive Southern Miss Business stickers, buttons, and temporary tattoos, these tailgates have quickly become a game day highlight for our college. During Black and Gold Days and University Family Weekend, we were thrilled to meet new faces and share our school pride with prospective students, families, faculty, and alumni. October brought an extra-special Homecoming celebration, where we cheered on three of our incredible business students representing us on the Homecoming Court!

Southern Miss MBA Program 2025 Rankings by Fortune

#12 Best Online MBA Programs in the South

#19 Most Affordable Online MBA Programs

#31 Best Online MBA Programs

#61 Best MBA Programs

Southern Miss Business has earned national recognition in Fortune’s rankings of the Best MBA Programs for 2025. The program has become a top choice for aspiring business leaders and professionals seeking career advancement, with courses available online and at night. Working professionals can complete the program part-time in two years while full-time students can complete the degree in as little as one year. The program is available fully online or in-person on the Hattiesburg campus. This is one of four rankings the Southern Miss MBA Program has received from Fortune recently.

Southern Miss Business Recognizes Outstanding Industry Leaders

The Southern Miss Business Excellence Awards recognized exceptional achievements in entrepreneurship and alumni impact. The awards luncheon honored distinguished individuals in three categories: Entrepreneur of the Year, Alumni of the Year and Young Alumni of the Year.

Brothers Glenn Mueller and the late Richard Mueller, who co-founded RPM Pizza, were recognized as the 2024 Entrepreneurs of the Year for their pioneering work within the Domino’s Pizza franchise. Beginning in the 1970s, they built a successful business empire opening Domino’s Pizza locations across nine states and three countries. Today, RPM Pizza is recognized as a leading franchise within the Domino’s Pizza brand, achieving record sales of more than $200 million, serving 25 million pizzas annually, and employing 3,400 team members. Their legacy also includes a commitment to community philanthropy, opening the Mueller Foundation in 2020, and the world’s largest model railroad museum, TrainTastic, in Gulfport, Mississippi in 2023. Glenn accepted the award in memory of his brother, Richard, who passed away earlier this year.

James R. Estes III, CPA, was recognized as the 2024 Alumnus of the Year. Jim, a seasoned professional with over 37 years of experience with Ernst & Young (EY), was celebrated for his success and contributions to public accounting. Recently retired from serving as the vice chair-professional practice for EY, Jim has been the lead partner on engagements for some of the world’s largest companies, including The Coca-Cola Company, Tech Data Corporate, Jabil Circuit, and Newell Rubbermaid. He continues to contribute to the profession as a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ (AICPA) governing council. Jim, who graduated from Southern Miss in 1986, has connections to the university that run deep. Not only did both his grandmother and father earn degrees from Southern Miss; Jim also met his wife, Angela, during their freshman year.

Catalina Villegas, director for diversity, equity and inclusion for Major League Baseball (MLB), was honored as the Young Alumna of the Year. A native of Colombia and a former tennis professional and collegiate player, Catalina oversees cultural engagement and career development initiatives designed to foster an inclusive and belonging culture within MLB. After her collegiate career at Northwestern State University, Catalina became a tennis coach at Southern Miss where she earned master’s degrees in business administration and sport management.

2024 Society for Marketing Advances Annual Conference

This semester, a group of Southern Miss Business students and faculty had the incredible opportunity to present their research alongside top academics and professionals from around the world at the 2024 Society for Marketing Advances Annual Conference. Those who made the trip to Tampa, Florida, included Marcus Kirkland, Gracie Lewis, Jimena Parades, Haeden Overby, Dr. Aisha Ghimire, Dr. Katie Howie, Dr. Joanne Tran, and Dr. Wei Wang. Our students left a lasting impression, earning compliments from faculty at other institutions for their professionalism, demeanor, and outstanding presentations. The quality of undergraduate research at the College of Business and Economic Development truly stood out, and this achievement would not be possible without the dedicated support of our business faculty, staff, and donors.

International Collegiate Sales Competition

Our Southern Miss Business Sales Team soared during their first performance at the International Collegiate Sales Competition (ICSC). Sierra Greene earned a spot in the Top 20 in the sales role play and advanced to the semifinals. The Southern Miss team ranked 27th overall out of 80 participating universities. Our students took the ICSC motto Work Hard, Play Hard, Give Back to heart as they competed in a number of role-play, speed selling, and case study events, explored internship and career opportunities, contributed to the food donation initiative, and, of course, spent time in Disney World!

National Sales Challenge

In their first competition appearance, junior marketing majors Lundon Hidalgo and Marcus Kirkland represented Southern Miss well during the National Sales Challenge in New Jersey. Both advanced to the second round. Through this experience, our students were able to build relationships with peers at fellow universities and successfully secure interviews with top-performing companies. In preparation for the competition, these two students were mentored by two alumni of the Southern Miss Professional Sales Program, Maggie Gressett and Kennedy Lambert.

Beta Alpha Psi Annual Meeting

Officers from the USM Beta Alpha Psi Zeta Mu Chapter traveled to Orlando, Florida, for the highly anticipated 2024 Annual Beta Alpha Psi Meeting. While there, they not only learned best practices to enhance their chapter at Southern Miss but also shared their own successes by leading impactful presentations on member recruitment and chapter reporting. The trip wasn’t all business—our officers made the most of their time in Orlando with a well-deserved visit to Universal Studios, complete with butterbeer and thrilling rollercoaster rides.

This year also marks an impressive milestone: the 20th consecutive year that the Zeta Mu chapter has been recognized by nationals with the Highest Honors Status. We couldn’t be prouder of their dedication and excellence!

Southern Miss Accounting Students Receive Scholarship for PCAOB

Two Southern Miss accounting students, Olivia Boleware and Ebony Hill, have been honored with the prestigious Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) scholarship, providing $30,000 in external funding.

Olivia Boleware, from Bassfield, Miss., is entering her second semester in the Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA) program this fall and is preparing for the CPA exam. “This scholarship has been the biggest blessing,” Boleware shared. “It allows me to graduate debt-free, something I’ve been working towards by saving for graduate school.” Boleware has been interning with Carr, Riggs & Ingram CPAs and Advisors since Spring 2024, gaining experience in both tax and auditing. She will start full-time with the firm after completing her degree in May 2025

Ebony Hill, a native of Long Beach, Miss., is entering her senior year and plans to pursue a master’s degree in accounting after graduation. “This scholarship means a lot to me,” Hill said. “It inspires me to share my story about the value of pursuing an accounting degree and breaking the stigma that accounting is boring.”

"We are extremely grateful for the PCAOB scholarships awarded to our deserving students" said Dr. Blaise Sonnier, director of the School of Accountancy.

Finance Faculty Members Earn Richard U. Ratcliff Award

Congratulations to Drs. Jennifer O’Sullivan and Kimberly Goodwin, whose paper, “Do Foreign Buyers Really Pay More? Evidence from the Miami Condo Market,” published in The Appraisal Journal, was selected for the Richard U. Ratcliff Award. Their study reveals that foreign buyers are no longer paying a premium on U.S. real estate purchases, thanks to the availability of online information.

This prestigious award is presented annually for the best original article published in The Appraisal Journal written by an academic author. Articles are judged on the basis of pertinent appraisal interest, provocative thought, logical analysis, perceptive reasoning, clarity of presentation, and overall contribution to the literature of valuation.