Anyone who has been bereaved knows something of the feelings of loss and the hope that something has gone wrong and their loved one will re-appear. Likewise losing, or missing out, on a dearly-loved or wanted job, can be somewhat like a bereavement. This might explain something of the feelings I have had today upon hearing that a job I seriously wanted, was interviewed for, and failed to get, then did not appoint at the end of the process.
I have to admit to being considerably cheered up by some of the conversation with a trusted Third Party (who should know), along the lines of "if they didn't appoint you, how could they have not appointed anyone?" Said Third Party was trying to work out a little more of the institution's reasoning.
In a way I've "seen a ghost", the ghost of a post, and with it, all the feelings of the possibilities, the what-ifs...
The point is, they are going to re-advertise. And, if the advert does not bear the phrase, "previous applicants need not apply".... well, I really don't know.
