Unfortunately, we have all been here. You have spent a few hours preparing, learning about the company in question, going over your experience and considering scenario questions in your head that might possibly be asked by the hiring managers. Finally, you attend the interview and then after a few days, you receive that gut wrenching rejection that you were dreading. We know that this can seriously affect your confidence and your motivation when job searching, that is why there are certain things to remember when you have to deal with this situation.
1. Don’t make things personal!
It is important to remember when you are dealing with rejection that it is not a personal thing. The hiring manager has to make a decision as to who they think is the ideal candidate for a role after knowing each candidate for about an hour so they will decide depending on who they feel from that interaction is the best candidate for the role.
Sometimes, there are external reasons that are beyond your control for example, an internal candidate who is already familiar with the company has been identified. Always remember that by progressing to the Interview stages of the hiring process, you have gotten further than a lot of other applicants to that role.
2. All experience is good experience
Did you ever receive this advice from a Family Member – “every interview is good experience, no matter the outcome”! These are words to hold to heart when you are rejected from a dream role.
Use the experience of interviewing to improve your interview technique and how you pitch yourself and your own skills. The more interviews you do, the less nerve-wracking they can become.
3. Ask for Feedback
After receiving the rejection, thank the hiring managers for taking the time to meet with you and ask if they have any feedback that they could pass on. You can then see if you didn’t fully meet the spec and keep that in mind when applying for future roles or if you need a bit more experience before you reach the level of the role you were going for. It can be hard to receive feedback on how you performed at interview but just make sure to take the feedback you receive objectively and remember not to beat yourself up about it!
4. Make a plan for moving forward
Give yourself some time to consider the feedback and make an action plan from it. Is there recurring themes that you have heard throughout other interview processes? Maybe the hiring manager felt that you weren’t able to talk through your experience in a coherent manner – make a list that highlights everything you do as part of your role and read through it before your next interview. Or maybe they felt you weren’t engaged throughout the interview. Something to do to show that you are is ensure that you are answering the question that has been asked of you. You can practice some interview questions at home so that you have a somewhat standard answer but make sure to tailor this to each question asked.
5. Stay positive, shake it off and start again
While it can be really disheartening to receive a rejection from a company that you wanted to work for, it is important to stop and evaluate the reasons and then pick yourself up and start again. The most important piece of advice that we can give is don’t get thrown off your search by rejection. There are a lot of candidates going forward for one role and the majority will face the same rejection.
If you do need some time to feel the loss of this potential opportunity, put a time limit on it. Take a day or two to consider it, then move on and continue with the other processes that you were involved with. A tip is to not rely on one of the roles that you have been put forward for, put yourself into the mix for a few more.
6. Keep your options open
When job searching, we will all face rejection and you need to learn how to accept this and move on from it. Make sure not to burn bridges with the hiring manager or the company, you never know, right now you may not be the perfect fit, but you could be in a few years. Always keep your options open.
Here at Quest Recruitment, we will help you throughout the entire job application process. From formatting your CV before sending to clients, interview preparation and finally, by extending a job offer. Sometimes, it takes a little more time to find the perfect role but we will be with you for every step of the way. If you are currently looking for a new role in Accountancy & Finance, Financial Technology or Funds Administration, make sure to send in your CV today and one of our consultants will be in touch when they find a role they think you will love.
