How do you deal with professional ghosting?

Whether you're a freelancer, full-time employee or job searcher, here is my guide to confidently handle ghosting without burning bridges.

The Question.

I’m a freelancer now. I had some discussions about a project with an agency I worked at full time. I started working on a proposal, but then I didn't hear anything. Even after follow-ups. Then I saw they won the project. This feels shitty. Is it normal? Am I overreacting? What’s the best way to handle this? Should I call them out? Cut them off? Not engage? Have a conversation? -Distraught Freelancer

Photo by Eyestetix Studio on Unsplash

My Advice.

Oof. I’ve been here before. I’ve had companies I worked for leave me unread for months. Unfortunately, ghosting is common behavior, but so is the amount of brands and agencies out there to work for.

And as a firm believer in strong communication skills, you might think I would say, screw them. Let them be and don’t bother engaging with people who don’t give you the respect you deserve. While that is true at some level, there is nuance. There’s a few things I would do before getting to that point.