Surprised you weren’t offered the job? Here’s what you really need to know about why you didn’t get the job.

  • Don’t Assume Anything.
    • Many companies hire from within. Sometimes, they post a job just to “check the box” even though they already have someone in mind. They may be “seeing who’s out there” with no real intent of moving forward unless they knock their socks off.
    • Consider the pool of candidates as well. Before you start getting down on yourself, imagine there are 900 candidates. Would it make you feel better to know that you were number #2 out of 900? You still don’t get the job, but that’s still pretty good! In other words, there’s no shame in being salutatorian. Instead, devour any feedback you can get, let it go, and move on.
  • Get Feedback.
    • Ask the recruiter or HR for feedback after receiving the rejection. Email (or handwrite, if you can) a thank you note or, ask the recruiter for contact info to send one. In this email, you can also open the door for feedback. If you come out of an interview with nothing, nothing is all you’ll get. Instead, you should be improving EVERY interview. If you focus on improvement and let go of the outcome, it’s only a matter of time before YOU are the one who’s chosen.
  • Move On.
    • Remember the lessons you learned and apply them to the next interview. Most people get rejected numerous times before landing a great opportunity. This requires them to get out of their comfort zone and make themselves vulnerable. Since most people gravitate towards familiarity, this often causes people to stay in jobs they hate. Be a forward thinker: what can you get better on? Is the resume the problem? Or the interview? If you are getting lots of interviews, the resume works.
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