Four Steps to Take When a Potential Employer Ghosts You

ghosted by an employer

Have you ever interviewed with a company, felt like you absolutely crushed it, only to never hear back from them again? 

You’re not alone, even though you may feel like you are when something like this happens. 

Before you can definitively say you’ve been ghosted, here are four steps you should to take that will either get you a response or guide you to letting it go.

ghosted by an employer

Step 1: Follow up via email

At the end of the interview, you should have asked what the next steps in the hiring process are. Assuming you also wrote a “thank you” letter post-interview that reiterated what those steps are, you can use this message as a gateway for a follow-up. Make it short and sweet, something along the lines of this:

I’m following up on our interview last week and want to thank you again for your time. I’m very interested in this opportunity. Do you have any updates for me? Looking forward to hearing from you!

Send this email to the person who interviewed you the day after they told you that you’d expect to hear from them. If they didn’t give you a specific day, send this three business days after your “thank you” letter.

Step 2: Follow up via phone

If you didn’t get a response from Step 1, it’s okay to now follow-up with a phone call. One of two things will happen: you’ll either speak with the person you’re trying to reach or you’ll leave a message. The script for this is very simple:

I sent you an email a few days ago but haven’t received a response. I wanted to let you know how interested I am in this opportunity. Do you have any updates for me in the hiring process?

Sculpt this message accordingly, whether you’re speaking to the hiring manager or leaving a voicemail.

Step 3: Connect on LinkedIn

You’ve emailed. You’ve called. Now send a LinkedIn request. If you’re already connected, send them a quick message. If you’re not connected, send them a request and add a note. Either way, the message should be the simplest you’ve sent so far:

Hi there! I’ve been trying to reach you to discuss the next step in the interview process. Hope to hear from you soon.

Short, simple and to the point. You can also see if they’ve read your message or responded to your connection request. If they continue to leave you in the dark after this, continue to Step 4.

Step 4: Move on

At this point, you need to ask yourself: do I really want to work for a company that won’t respond to me? You’ve done your due diligence and then some. If they haven’t responded by now, the harsh truth is, most likely, they never will.

If there’s anything you take away from this, know that being ghosted by a company isn’t an uncommon experience, and you’re not the only one. Most importantly, do not let this discourage you or begin devaluing yourself or your skills. Some companies are horrible at following up. Some don’t have the nerve to relay rejection. Others just don’t care. Regardless of the excuse, if you’ve followed these steps to no avail, keep on keeping on. The right opportunity will come.

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