4 Straight Reasons Why You Didn’t Get the Job

And what to do next time.

So you didn’t get the job.

That’s okay — for now, that is. Job hunting is a process, and it’s rare someone is successful the first time out. Hopefully, you’re coming from a position of seeking a new place of employment while still collecting a paycheck or other income stream.

If not, then I understand why you might feel a little panic and confusion.

Don’t let it get you down too much. Don’t get discouraged. Instead, let’s look at some reasons why you didn’t get the job you were after and what you might be able to do about that.

Your resume didn’t stand out

The best jobs often have the most competition. You’re one among dozens, maybe even hundreds of applicants all sending in roughly similar resumes. They all follow the same template, font, and work histories. After a while, even the most dedicated recruiter’s eyes are going to glaze over.

I’ve talked to several recruiters about this, and a stand-out resume is often the first thing they notice favorably about a potential new hire. It could be as simple as an eye-catching header, a little bit of color, or an alternative-but-still-easy-to-read layout.

Mind you, going too far outside of resume norms can work against you as well. You never want a resume to be difficult to read. You don’t want to use flashy colors or un-asked-for photos just for the sake of standing out.

Doing that can express a level of non-seriousness.

There is a delicate balance to strike.

One recruiter I spoke to recently suggested that one deviation from a standard resume format is often enough to catch a recruiter’s attention without risking an adverse impression.

When composing and formatting your resume, come up with a few different options, and show them to friends. Get opinions. Honest opinions. Then work from there and refine your resume before sending it out again.

Your interview didn’t impress

You made it past the first hurdle. Your resume impressed a recruiter enough to warrant an interview.

So you go to the interview. You think you nailed it.

But you didn’t get the job.

What happened?

When you’ve been granted an interview, that means the hundreds of others who have applied for the position you’re seeking has been winnowed down to around a dozen or less (depending on the job).

Factors that can affect an interview include:

Presentability

Did you dress up or dress down for this interview? No matter the job, err on the side of caution and dress up a bit. Even if it’s a generally messy job, wear a clean, nice shirt and pants without holes in them. Be groomed and washed.

Personality

This may seem unfair to some, but to a recruiter, personality matters. Will you get along with other employees? Will you get along with customers? If you walk in with a poor attitude, the recruiter will assume you’re going to bring this attitude to your job.

Professionalism

This seems a little vague, but job hunting is more of an art than a science. This combines both of the previous factors but can also encompass things like confidence and maturity. Can you be trusted to be responsible and act like an adult while on the job?

Knowledge and ability

Don’t be surprised if a recruiter tests the knowledge you’ve claimed on your resume. Recruiters tell me that a surprising number of people who pad their resumes with skills they don’t possess are hoping they can “pick it up as they go along.” The problem is that the recruiter often needs someone who can start right away and not make a pile of mistakes at the very start. Avoid the temptation to claim expertise in skills you don’t have. But feel free to say you’re willing to learn.

General impression

This is the most problematic factor to pin down. Like it or not, some recruiters react with their gut. If they don’t feel like you’re a good match, you’re not going to get the job. There is not a lot you can do about this, but you can try to make the best impression you can by taking the previous four factors into account.

Your social media is hurting you

Welcome to the modern world. If your social media accounts are public, they’re fair game to recruiters, and they will look at it to see what kind of person you are.

Do you get involved in charities? Or do you mock others in need? Even if it’s just a bad joke or meme being shared, it can turn off recruiters quickly.

Is there a lot of drama on your Facebook page? Did you trash your previous workplace on Twitter? Any embarrassing photos on Instagram?

When engaged in a job hunt, give your social media a full audit. Delete or restrict the viewability of anything that might be deemed questionable — even if they seem like perfectly reasonable things like political opinions. It may not seem fair that politics matter, but people are still people.

Someone who is hiring you for a position is always taking some kind of gamble from their perspective. While I may think that old picture of me stumbling out of CBGBs with a bloody forehead may be all punk rock and cool, I doubt it would have impressed the publisher of that medical journal I was meeting with for the managing editor position. (I got the job and held it for three years before the new board decided to change their publishing strategy.)

I’m just saying, and recruiters agree, give your social media accounts a once-over. Pretend you’re the recruiter and determine if perhaps you should amend what’s publicly viewable.

They can’t afford you

Things are tough all over.

No, seriously. If we’re not talking about the effects of COVID-19, we might be talking about any number of economic factors occurring today. They may want to hire you, but they can’t afford someone with your experience or at the salary you’re asking.

You can’t really take that personally. And I don’t recommend low-balling your asking salary just to get a job. You may be stuck at that pay grade for a few more years until the business finds itself on an improved financial footing and upper management decides to allow pay increases.

Wait for the job that is going to pay you what you’re worth. Or, at least, hold out for as long as you can.

Things will get better.

Keep calm and carry on

It’s true.

Don’t let not getting the job get you down too much, send you into a panic, or propel you into some kind of spiral of self-loathing. It can be a difficult, frustrating journey — not just for you but for everyone.

Keep trying. Keep in mind such things as how you present yourself and what you have to offer, and approach the job hunt from the perspective of the person who is hiring.

If you were them, what would you want to see in a new hire?

I guess it all comes down to that.

Be the person you would hire, and things should be fine.

Carry on.

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