Being ghosted is never easy. Whether it’s a great date that you never hear from again or a one-way friendship that goes radio silent, ghosting is a term usually associated with a withdrawal of communication in our personal lives.

So, it can sting when the ghosting comes from a potential employer. According to new research from job website Indeed, this is more common than we think, with one in five jobseekers claiming that employers have failed to turn up for a phone interview without explanation, while almost a quarter say they’ve been given a verbal offer only to never hear from them again.

“Unfortunately, being ghosted – whether personal or professionally – is almost inevitable,” Rebecca Williams, talent strategy advisor at Indeed, tells Stylist. “Being left in the dark by your dream job can also be as frustrating or painful as not hearing back from a date.”

With that in mind, how can you pick yourself up and dust yourself off from this sort of rejection?

Ghosted by a job? Here are 5 ways to overcome that stinging rejection