- Tripadvisor’s former CEO, Steve Kaufer, said he’s been ghosted on LinkedIn routinely since stepping down from the role three years ago. “Getting ghosted or shut out after leaving a position can happen, and even high-level leaders aren’t immune to it,” a career expert tells Fortune. Workers and hiring managers have also been leaving each other on read, but there are a few tricks to get a ghoster’s attention—or make even stronger connections who will actually message back.
People aren’t only getting ghosted on dating apps—workers, hiring managers, and even CEOs are being left on read in their professional lives. After Tripadvisor’s former chief executive, Steve Kaufer, stepped down from the top job three years ago, he’s been on the receiving end of radio silence.
“I laugh at it sometimes when I reach out to someone on LinkedIn and I get ghosted,” Kaufer recently admitted on the Grit podcast. “And I’m like, ‘Wow, that didn’t used to happen to me. But okay, get used to your new life.’”
Kaufer said he’s unbothered by people not responding to his messages. He explained that he kept a pretty low profile as Tripadvisor’s CEO, preferring to be in the thick of business problems and operations, only wanting to do speaking gigs when the publicity would help the company.
But while Kaufer seems fine with slowly retreating from the limelight—even to the point of getting ignored by his own former peers on LinkedIn—job-seekers and managers are getting fed up with people not responding to them.
A career expert tells Fortune that there are a few common reasons why professionals get ghosted, and shares steps on how to deal with the silent rejection. The truth is ghosting isn’t always personal—and there’s no harm in following up, strengthening other industry connections, and tailoring professional materials to get visibility. Ghosting may even be a “blessing in disguise.”
“Getting ghosted or shut out after leaving a position can happen, and even high-level leaders aren’t immune to it,” Jasmine Escalera, career expert for LiveCareer, tells Fortune. “Always remember that rejection or silence is just part of the process, not a representation of how awesome you are as a candidate.”
CEOs aren’t the only ones getting ghosted
Tripadvisor’s former CEO being left on read is a high-profile example of a very common professional habit that’s hurting workers and employers alike.
The number of job candidate interview reviews on Glassdoor mentioning ghosting more than doubled, climbing 112%, between 2020 and 2023, according to the platform’s data. And hiring managers are even fessing up to doing it—about 69% of HR professionals admit to frequently closing a job search and cutting communication with candidates, according to recent data from Resume Builder and LiveCareer. Then there is the issue of “ghost jobs”—fake job listings that employers put up to feign company growth. Three in five job candidates say they’ve encountered one of these false postings, never hearing back from employers on the opportunity.
But despite applicants describing the tiring hiring process as “frustrating,” “inequitable,” and “poor,” being ghosted may actually not be the worst thing in the world.
“Being ghosted can actually be a blessing in disguise. Just like in dating, if someone disappears without a word, they’re simply not the right match,” Escalera says.
“The same goes for companies, hiring teams, or recruiters. If they’re not communicating, it could very well be a sign that they’re not the environment where your skills and contributions will be truly valued.”
In response to ghost jobs, hiring managers’ radio silence, and exhausting hiring processes, job-seekers are turning the tables on their potential bosses. About 75% of workers say they’ve ignored a prospective employer in the past year, according to 2025 data from Indeed. And Gen Z are the worst offenders—about 93% have admitted that they’ve skipped out on an interview.
What workers should do when they’re getting ghosted
Job-seekers may feel powerless when a connection or hiring manager has ghosted them—but career expert Escalera suggests a few ways workers can make the most of it.
- Build up a reputation beyond your role: Just like with the former Tripadvisor CEO, Escalera says some professionals get typecast into their role. If they leave, it makes it hard for others to see them out of the context of that job: “This is why it’s so important to build real relationships where people understand your expertise and contributions beyond your title or company.”
- Tailor your applications: When leaving a job or making a career pivot, ghosting might occur if a worker is no longer the perfect fit for new opportunities. “You might get shut out before you have a chance to prove you’re a fit. This is why it’s crucial not only to tailor your applications to highlight transferable skills but also to invest in networking and connections in the industry you’re hoping to move into.”
- Don’t be afraid to follow up: Double-texting is totally appropriate, and Escalera says it’s good to follow up with recruiters, hiring managers, and potential connections. “Politely ask for a status update or express continued interest in connecting. One no-response doesn’t always mean no. People get busy, inboxes get crowded, and professional persistence can often pay off.”
- Grow your network: Sometimes old connections still won’t respond after a follow-up, so it’s crucial for workers to expand their networks and keep the momentum up. “If you still don’t get a response, just keep building momentum by focusing on growing your network, applying to other roles, and staying visible.”
While it can be very dejecting for workers to be ghosted by others, Escalera says it’s important for professionals to keep their heads held high. The right companies or opportunities will come.
“The right company will make it known they want you by engaging, following up, and making space for your brilliance,” Escalera says. “Keeping a positive mindset and knowing your worth helps reframe ghosting not as rejection, but redirection toward better-aligned roles and companies.”
