The reality is that there is probably very little you are doing “wrong.” And you are obviously doing many things “right” or you wouldn’t be invited to so many interviews!

It drives recruiters and job seekers crazy, but hiring managers usually make hiring decisions based on “fit.” And fit is much more than meeting the job’s requirements (which are often just a best guess about what the job will actually be). “Fit” is how the employee will work with the other employees and the formal and informal systems that make a workplace work – the existing organization’s “culture.” And an organization’s culture is made up of many things – from mission to management structure to sense of humor to a million other things.

If you’ve ever worked in a bank or in high tech – or know people who have worked in those places – you know they are very, VERY different. Working at CitiBank is quite different from working at Apple. A small business’s culture is usually quite different from a large business. Having worked at Harvard University, I know that the culture at Harvard is different from almost anywhere else – and that there are different cultures within Harvard (central admin vs. Harvard Business School vs. Harvard Divinity School vs. Harvard School of Public Health, etc.)

It’s why some people think Company A is a great place to work while other equally intelligent people think it’s a terrible place to work.

Hopefully, you’re learning from these interviews about how to respond to questions, getting comfortable with the process (or as comfortable as you can be), and meeting many interesting people. Given how many interviews you are having, you’ll find the right “fit” soon. Keep trying.

Good luck!
Susan

Taous

Good luck with your job search!

Susan

Yes, the fact that they remembered you and called you back is a very good sign!

Internal candidates almost always win over external candidates for many reasons that have nothing to do with the qualifications of the internal candidate. Outside candidates are often interviewed just to be sure no one a whole lot better is out there, waiting to be hired, and also to fulfill some other requirements.

Good luck, Myriam! I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you

Regards,
Susan

Taous

Taous

Internal transfers are a perferred way for employers to fill jobs – the person hired already knows their way around the organization, so the learning curve is short. And, the person is already well known by at least a few other employees, so their skills, strengths, and weaknesses are known. They are a “known quantity” and often liked by others in the organization.

In this case, I would do three things:

1.) Thank them – very sincerly – for letting you know the outcome of the hiring process. So many people these days are left hanging and never find out what happened.

2.) Don’t ask what was “wrong.” Ask for feedback on how things went and what you could do to possibly improve for “next time.

3.) Ask if there are any part-time positions available, like substitute teacher or teaching assistant.
Then, hopefully, next time they have a teaching position open, you will be the “existing employee” who lands the permanent job. And, it will look good on your resume for other employers, showing you are building your experience and are valued by another employer.

Good luck!
Susan