Rejected After the Final Interview When Everything Seemed So Perfect

Summary

The article discusses coping with job rejection after a final interview, emphasizing self-care and the subjective nature of hiring decisions.

Abstract

The author shares a personal account of the disappointment felt after being rejected from a job that seemed promising following a series of interviews, including a presentation to executives. Despite the effort put into the process, the author received an impersonal rejection email, a common practice among large corporations. The article suggests that rejection does not equate to failure and encourages readers to grieve the lost opportunity before moving forward. It highlights the importance of recognizing one's own efforts and accomplishments, and the often subjective reasons behind hiring decisions. The author advocates for self-care techniques and maintaining a positive outlook, reminding readers that the right job opportunity is still ahead.

Opinions

The author believes that the impersonal nature of rejection from companies, often through automated systems, is unfortunate and prevalent.
Rejection is acknowledged as a painful experience, but the author argues it should not define one's self-worth or be seen as a personal failure.
The article suggests that job seekers should allow themselves to grieve and process their emotions after a rejection before pursuing new opportunities.
It is implied that the hiring process can be influenced by subjective factors, such as personal chemistry or internal candidates, which are beyond the control of the applicant.
The author promotes the idea of the Law of Attraction in job searching, suggesting that a positive mindset can attract better opportunities.
Self-care is emphasized as a crucial step in recovering from job rejection, with recommendations for activities like deep breathing, mindfulness, and journaling.
The author encourages readers to support their job search by joining Medium and considering an AI service for cost-effective assistance similar to ChatGPT Plus (GPT-4).

You’re not alone in feeling defeated. Take your time to grieve and bounce back for the right opportunity.

Everything seemed so promising. The initial email, the screening call, and the other three interviews. The company was responding to my emails, and I finally had to prepare a presentation for the executives. Not a single doubt the hiring process was in my favour.

However, after the final interview, there was total silence for two weeks. Towards the end of the third week, and after two follow-up emails and a voicemail left to the HR representative, I received a cold and impersonal message.

While your skills and background are impressive, we have decided to proceed with other applicants who more closely fit our needs at this time. We appreciate your time and effort put in this process. We encourage you to apply for other positions at [Company].

Seriously?!? What a disappointment!

This approach is more prevalent than you think, unfortunately. Especially when we talk about large corporations. They just press a button from the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to send a canned email to all unsuccessful candidates and move on.

Or even worse: some companies ghost you completely after many interviews, which is a shameful practice. If you’re lucky, the HR person will send you a personalized email or give you a call to tell you the news.

In any case, it hurts. Rejection is horrible. You put so much effort into the process that you feel betrayed and defeated.

I went through this cycle many times when interviewing for positions that were a perfect match for my experience and career goals. After being rejected, I used to spend weeks trying to figure out what had gone wrong. Should I have shared a different example? Did I miss small cues when meeting them? There was no real answer to these questions, only my guessing, and I had to move on with my feelings of sadness and emptiness.

A different attitude towards “failure”

My goal for writing this article is to tell you that being the hiring manager’s second or third choice does not equal failure. Your inner voice may be telling you, I’m not good enough, but it’s time to stop believing it!

Preparing thoroughly for multiple interviews, juggling personal responsibilities, and overcoming stress and anxiety while keeping your motivation up… all of these great efforts show that you deserve the best job out there. You got to that final round because you have a strong skillset and shared many accomplishments genuinely.

Here’s a suggestion for you: give yourself permission to grieve over those lost job opportunities before moving on to the next. While it’s true that you’ll never recover the time, energy, and mental effort you invested in those multiple rounds, you can take control of the situation by not letting your feelings interfere with new opportunities.

After all, there was only one job for one candidate. You may have given all the right examples, but something very subjective favoured the selected candidate. Or maybe there was an internal candidate who applied last minute. Most times, you don’t know the real reason.

So… just allow yourself some space and use some techniques to care for yourself: deep breathing, mindfulness, journaling, going for a walk, debriefing with a trusted contact, etc.

Never define yourself as a failure after a rejection. Remember that there is a Law of Attraction in the job search. Reframing your thoughts instead of constantly ruminating over the past will definitely help you move forward. The right employer is out there waiting to hear your examples and how you (and no one else) can help them succeed.

Remember that there is only one job…the next one could be meant for you.

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