Whether it’s a recruiter who has gone silent after extending a job offer or a connection on LinkedIn who stops responding, we’re seeing ghosting manifest in a number of ways in the workplace. Instances of sudden silence can easily shatter your confidence and leave you feeling confused and rejected. You’re left retracing your steps to see where you went wrong, or worse, in limbo, wondering if it’s appropriate to follow up. There are a few things you can do if you’ve been ghosted.

• Consider your approach. Did you connect with someone and then, without missing a beat, send along a personal request? Pinging weak ties for favors makes your entire interaction seem transactional.
• Embrace the awkward. Lots of people ghost to avoid awkward exchanges. Instead of feeling haunted by their disappearance, send a brief, lighthearted message and leave the door open for them to reconnect, or to simply let you know what’s going on.
• If you’re the one guilty of ghosting, know that your dangling conversations can have a clean ending. Reach out to the other party and acknowledge the lengthy silence. It will help ease your mind.