Ghosted after an interview? What it means and what to do
Being ghosted means the company stopped answering, with no end to it: no reply, not even a no. It is common, it says nothing about you, and one follow-up is all you owe them.
- 61%of job seekers said they had been ghosted after a job interviewGreenhouse survey of 2,500 workers in the US, the UK and Germany, published December 2024
- Just under 47%of those asked said they had been left without any reply to an application for an advertised job. Applications, not interviews.Survey by the consultancy Ballisager with Voxmeter, reported in Danish media in April 2026; the number asked is not stated
🔢 All the numbers, with sources →
What should you do now?
Send one short follow-up once the date they gave has passed. If they gave no date, pick a moment yourself and send it then. If nothing comes back, close it on your side and put your energy into other applications.
Can you see it coming before you apply?
Often, yes. Look the company up here: its page counts how many candidates picked 👻 Ghosted and when their processes happened.
Why share that you were ghosted?
Because the next candidate cannot see it otherwise. Your name never shows, and the company can answer in public.
What to do when you are ghosted
- Check the date they gave you for an answer.
- After it passes, send one short, polite follow-up.
- Keep your other applications moving.
- When nothing comes back, close it on your side.
- Share what happened, so the next candidate knows.
Before your next application, check whether candidates were ghosted there. And share yours: that is how the next candidate sees it coming.
Last updated October 1, 2026