Fearless job seeker, you will be rejected. None of us want to face rejection because it simply does not feel good. You will be tempted to Google search things like, “Why didn’t I get the job?” “How many interviews will it take to get an offer?” and “How do you make an ultimate chocolate brownie sundae?” Okay, maybe not the last thing. But the answers to the others will be: five, maybe twelve, or in the current economy twenty-five interviews. Or you’ll read a number of articles suggesting you need to improve your interview skills and tidy up the resume. Those things may be true, but I’m not sure they really help the mental state when you’ve been rejected for the job.
When you have been rejected for a job you have an opportunity. If there is one thing you can get out of being rejected, it is a connection. Remember, at this point it is all about networking. You never know how that one connection may lead to another important one. Therefore, respond professionally and then move on. Typically, I will send an email to the Hiring Manager along these lines;
“I am disappointed to learn that I am no longer a candidate for your position of {whatever the position is} and understand that this job went to another candidate. I must say that I was very impressed with my visit and meeting with everyone on the team. While I am no longer a candidate, I hope you will keep me in mind for any other positions, as I really felt good about {the company’s name} as a home for my skills in developing {your expertise}. Please give my thanks again to your entire team for their time. And again thank you for your time. I hope that we will have the occasion to speak in the future.”
After I send the email, I invite every person that I interviewed with to connect with me on LinkedIn. Success rate? 99% have connected with me. In fact, some of those relationships have turned into mutual business relationships advocating for me.
Now, all you can do is move on, make that ultimate chocolate brownie sundae and enjoy! Fearless job seeker, don’t forget in the midst of feeling rejected this truth – there is a job with your name on it! Trying to play the guessing game about why you didn’t get a particular position is a waste of energy that you could be using to find the best job for you. And after all, if they couldn’t see the potential in hiring you, then it’s their loss, not yours.
When you face rejection what is your typical reaction? How could your reaction have a negative or positive impact on your job search? Leave a comment!
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