You've received a standard rejection email after multiple rounds of interviews and weeks of hoping - and it goes something like this:
"Thank you so much for your time and interest in our company and the [title of the job]. At this time we have identified a candidate that we feel better aligns with the responsibilities of the role. We wish you the best in your career search"
Now you're left wondering - "what was it that I lacked"?
Take a moment to honestly consider if you REALLY want to know. Are you prepared to hear the response? Are you open to the hard truth? Ready to hear constructive criticism, particularly if you're going to learn that it wasn't your background or education, but instead, had something to do with how you presented yourself?
Years ago I would often try to provide positive coaching by sharing with people why they were not chosen for a position. I learned quickly that no matter how kindly the feedback is delivered, it is typically not taken lightly and is often received poorly.
Take for instance the candidate who talks WAY too much during the interview, over-shares personal information and rarely leaves time for the interviewer to ask their necessary questions - will this person be open to hearing that they talk too much? No matter how you deliver that nugget of information, it's doubtful they'll be receptive.
What about the person who, on a video interview, didn't present themselves professionally, or chose an inappropriate environment for a video meeting or got interrupted by their phone ringing multiple times. If they cared about these things, wouldn't they have acted differently in the first place? Do they really want to hear that their lack of professionalism cost them the job?
In the past when calling candidates to decline them was standard practice, and even when not providing any specific feedback, I experienced people yell obscenities at me while in the same breath exclaim they were the BEST candidate for the position, and the company will never hire someone as good as them.
Many companies now require the canned rejection to avoid that type of encounter, as well as other factors like the sheer volume of candidates received makes it impossible to take the time to reply to each individual with specific reasons they were not chosen.
In today's job market there are typically many, many candidates vying for each job opening, and you may be up against dozens of other qualified people. If you don't get the role, try not to take it personally. The right opportunity will arise... eventually.
I've been Recruiting for over 20 years and it still hurts each time I have to let a candidate know they didn't get a job they were really hoping for. In the end, it is important to realize that no Hiring Professional takes joy in declining someone.
The opinions expressed in this blog do not represent my employer. Copyright - content cannot be used without the expressed permission of the author.
