April 4, 2018

It’s very disappointing to get rejected for a potential job. Sometimes, you may know exactly what went wrong during the interview. But other times, you may think you did a great job and aren’t sure why you weren’t hired. During your interview, you will likely be keyed up or even nervous, so things you would normally notice might slip below your radar—such as what you said or the body language of the interviewer. So, how can you find out why you didn’t get the job?

Reach out to the hiring manager or interviewer

You’re likely in contact with the person who interviewed you. It’s common practice to give you a phone number or email in case you have any questions. Also, there’s a good chance you know you’ve been rejected because the hiring manager reached out to you with this news. You can contact the person or respond to their message with a simple, polite inquiry about why you weren’t hired. Just be very specific that you’re trying to improve your odds for future job opportunities and would greatly appreciate feedback about why you weren’t chosen in regards to your interview, cover letter, qualifications, or any other reason. Be careful not to look like you’re being argumentative or trying to sway the hiring manager’s decision in any way—this could simply result in immediate dismissal.

Work with your recruiter

If a recruiter helped you land this interview, he or she may have valuable information from the hiring manager about why you didn’t get the job. You can easily contact or meet with your recruiter for helpful tips you can use to improve your documents and/or interview performance and get one step closer to being hired next time.

Be gracious

Regardless of whether you contact the interviewer or recruiter, if they’ve taken the time to give you thoughtful, honest feedback—always say thank you. Your gratitude will go a long way.

Use the feedback to your advantage

Don’t take the advice of others lightly. Think about the constructive criticism you’ve received and take steps to get better. Your career is a learning process and the valuable feedback of others is a great resource.

Looking for your next job?

If you’ve been rejected after an interview and you’re ready to try again, contact Inter-Connect! We work with candidates for administrative and light industrial positions and we’re looking forward to speaking with you. To learn more, contact us today!

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