Maybe you never got a call back from your last interview or you received an email informing you that the position was filled. Either way, not getting the job after an interview can be depressing and leave you questioning yourself. And while there are things that you can do to increase the likelihood of getting a job offer after an interview, you still can't win 'em all. The best thing you can do is to chalk it up to good practice and move on. Try your best to resist the temptation to beat yourself up. There are many reason why an interview didn't go so well or why the interviewer didn't choose you.
Here are some reason why they didn't hire you:
- You seemed desperate- Nothing scares off a potential employer than a desperation. You are supposed to be an applicant, not a supplicant begging for a paycheck. One of the best ways to prevent looking desperate is to have already have a job; barring that, try to have some sort of volunteer position or other activity going on in your life.
- An employee referral or inside applicant appeared on the scene- When someone is referred to a position by a current employee or an existing employee applies for a promotion, often they are considered before other applicants. If both job seekers are equally qualified, the job typically goes to the insider.
- The job duties have changed- Believe it or not, this happens more often than you would think. This is especially true when the position is newly created. Often, a company knows they need someone to handle certain tasks and look for ways to make the most of the new employee. In essence, the job they advertised for ends up not being the position they actually hire for.
- The company isn't prepared to pay you what you asked for- Companies are often looking for the person with the most experience for the cheapest rate. If they don't have the budget to maintain your salary they will often opt to train someone with less experience who requires less money.
- Your appearance doesn't fit the job- It could be that you came dressed in business casual for an interview at a more formal office. Or maybe you don't appear to be someone who can perform the required tasks. A thin, petite woman may have trouble convincing an employer that she is capable of working in a field like construction, or a tall, intimidating man might have trouble finding work as an office assistant.
- You brought a friend or your mom to the interview- If you need moral support for the interview, who knows what will happen on your first day at work alone. Employers are looking for independent people who can handle difficult situations.
There are many reasons why you might have been overlooked. Some of them are things that you did wrong, or ways that you failed to make a great impression. Other things are just the nature of the job hunt and sometimes they're just not fair. But, no matter what the reason, there is no point in wallowing in your failure. If you messed up, maybe the chemistry just wasn't right. If they found someone else in spite of you doing the best you could, then it just wasn't meant to be. Don't let it get you down. Get back in the game and find the job that is perfect for you.
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By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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