The job application process isn’t fun for anyone – especially the rejection part. Even highly experienced and qualified professionals have trouble understanding why they were overlooked. What did I do wrong? Why didn’t they want me? Before you spiral into uncertainty, here are a few reasons why you didn’t get the job.
Look closely at the job description and at your resume. Be honest with yourself about your professional experience and the demands of the job. If your resume looks a little light, it’s probable that they liked you but simply had to hire someone who had more experience.
There is such a thing as being too qualified for a job. Even though having lots of experience is great, sometimes employers will turn down candidates who seem overly qualified. If you and the manager have comparable experience, you might be a threat to them. Sometimes the company simply cannot offer a salary commensurate with experience. Maybe they simply didn’t think you would stick around at the company very long because of your experience level.
Sometimes the job application process is a numbers game, and therefore one of the biggest reasons why you didn’t get the job. If 100 people applied for the job, you’re less likely to get it than the job where 20 people applied. It’s going to be even more competitive if all the candidates were highly qualified. The tougher the competition, the easier your resume will be overlooked.
For whatever reason, you didn’t mesh with the manager during the interview. Perhaps your communication styles seemed different. Maybe they had some hesitations about how you would fit into the office culture. If they didn’t think you would fit in well with the office, perhaps it’s a good thing you didn’t get hired.
Hiring the right people is essential for a company to be successful. Interviews and resumes don’t tell the whole story about an employee. That’s why internal recommendations and hires carry a lot of weight. A manager may opt for a candidate they know and trust with less experience to avoid the risk of hiring an outsider.
As an outsider of the company, when applying for a job you can never be sure what’s going on internally. Sometimes organizations go through restructuring during a hiring process, which puts the available job in flux. A company may decide they actually don’t want to hire for the position anymore. Other times they’re looking for a different skill set because the role is changing. Sometimes one of the reasons why you didn’t get the job is beyond your control.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of instances where you can fail in an interview process. Showing up late, dressing unprofessionally, fumbling your words, or simply not seeming interested in the job can all lead to not getting hired. Practice makes perfect when it comes to interviewing. If you suspect you blew your last interview, make sure to prepare well in advance before the next opportunity comes along.
Sources: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2015/10/28/the-real-reason-you-didnt-get-that-job/#5b0b9756b755, https://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2017/07/07/3-reasons-you-didnt-get-the-job-but-were-oh-so-close/#2636605d3f1a, https://biginterview.com/blog/2016/04/job-interview-feedback.html
Photos
1. based on Scrabble – Now Hiring, by Amtec Staffing, CC-by-SA 2.0
2. based on Ready, by mr.stokey, CC-by-2.0
3. based on shake hands, by jmettraux, CC-by-2.0