I’ve been ghosted more times than I can count. There was that time a senior leader enthusiastically offered to introduce me to the chief marketing officer of one of the largest tech firms. That never happened. There was that time I went through eight rounds of interviews with a large financial institution, and the executive search firm never called me back. And finally, there was the time a public relations firm reached out with urgency because they wanted me to host a podcast for their client.
I stared at the email in my inbox for four days until finally responding: “I am glad I was helpful to you. I wish I could help your friend, but I just don’t have the time right now.” He responded back within minutes: “Are you sure? Because it wouldn’t take long and she could really use your help.” While I was trying hard to say no, I found myself in a position where I was being coaxed into saying yes. I said no one more time, wishing his friend the best of luck. I never heard from him again.
Minor wears multiple hats. She’s president of activewear company Bandier, founded her own company focused on DEI consulting, and serves as a board member. She can’t afford to overextend herself. Her simple advice of saying no can feel easier said than done. We may fear being disliked or disappointing others, like my friend’s brother, who is no longer in touch with me. But in the long run, saying no more often can prevent you from inadvertently burning bridges and damaging your personal brand.
MitaMallick2 great piece. Sure there are different levels of ghosting. Forgetting to follow through on an introduction without a reminder is one thing. But to not respond to someone that has gone deep within the interviewing process (final round) is just wrong! Not acceptable.