Job Interviews: Dealing With Rejection

Being turned down for that job that you really wanted can be quite a disheartening experience and can leave a dent in your confidence. When handled the right way however, rejection can be treated as a learning experience and ultimately turned into something positive. Rejected candidates can use the opportunity to learn more about themselves, especially with regards to their strengths and weaknesses and build on that to perform better in subsequent interviews.

“It is probably not you”

With lots of people on the lookout for jobs, there are a lot of talented candidates that would most likely get rejected. The rejection may not necessarily be because of your perceived inability to do the job, but with regards to whether or not you are the right fit for the role. The situation therefore may not be that the recruiter was rejecting you, but saw another candidate that he/she saw to be a better fit. One must also take into consideration the fact that hiring is usually subjective so another recruiter may have chosen you.

“Perhaps the hiring manager was right”

It is possible that the hiring manager was right by not picking you because the job would not have been the right fit for you. You may not have performed as well as you and the company would have liked and ultimately been unhappy in the company. Assuming this was the situation, the hiring manager would have been right not to hire you.

“Be Polite”

Sending a note saying “Your loss” to the hiring manager is definitely not a smart move. As mentioned earlier, the rejection could be with regards to your fit, rather than your competence. You could therefore be considered suitable for another position that would come up. When hiring managers interview someone for a position, they usually have an idea of other positions they are looking to fill so even though you could have been rejected for one position, you could be considered for another. It is therefore always a good idea to be polite and if possible, maintain the relationship with the hiring manager even in the event of rejection.

“Take a moment to reflect”

Job interviews are a great way to learn about your strengths and weaknesses. Perhaps you did not read enough on the company, or the problem may be with your appearance. Whatever the issue, it is imperative to get feedback from the interviewer on your performance so you can use that information to improve your performance in subsequent interviews.

Being told that you were not selected for a job is not a pleasant experience, but it is also a great opportunity to improve and better oneself. If you take the good with the bad and learn from your mistakes, you can easily turn what was meant to be a stumbling block into a stepping stone to success. Good luck!

By-Mimi Koranteng