Interview doldrums got you down? Didn’t get the job offer you wanted? Got the bad interview blues? Does “I didn’t get the job” feel like your new mantra?
Although I wish with all my heart you would get the job offer you want every time you interview and then be the one who gets to decide whether to accept the job or not, sometimes you just didn’t get the job offer – even if you’re totally qualified. Instead, you got a polite turn down or a cool rejection letter…or worse yet, you heard nothing back from them. Waiting. Waiting some more. In deep silence. No phone call. No e-mail. No rejection letter. No response at all. Crickets chirping. Grrrr.
And you can’t help wondering “Why don’t they like me? What did I do wrong in my interview? Why didn’t I get an offer even after a really good interview?” And it hurts. You feel utterly frustrated by the whole hiring process!
But apart from just not having the right skills or there being someone so exactly suited to the job even a perfect candidate like you has to be turned down, what kinds of things might have gotten in the way of a job offer or even a second interview? Let’s see if these tips can help you with your next interview!
Things that can turn a job interview cold – and get you rejected!
- Low energy
- Vague answers
- Way too talkative or way too quiet
- Not listening well and instead answering what you feel like saying
- Not offering strong examples of things you’ve done well
- Arriving late
- Dressing inappropriately
- Acting unprofessionally and/or overly friendly
- Poor eye contact or body language (too stiff, too shlumpy)
- You act the way you think they’d want you to and aren’t being yourself
Any of this sound familiar? Good news is you can work on any or all of these things and come to the next interview prepared with your best interview posture, good eye contact, fully-engaged energy, great stories about things you’ve made happen, etc.
Of course, there’s also the possibility it wasn’t a bad interview after all. Maybe they simply hired someone else from the company they already knew and the posting was just protocol. Or there just wasn’t any chemistry. This happens sometimes. In either of these particular cases (other than staying in touch) there’s really nothing you can do; you just need to put this behind you and move on. As in a dating relationship, when it’s not right, best to let it go and look for one that works.
An interview is never over until it’s over
One note: Even if you get the feeling the interview is going south or was never a real interview to begin with, you still want to give your strongest, most naturally likable interview no matter what. Don’t decide to reject them before they reject you.
Why? Because there may be someone you meet during the process who remembers you for another time. In fact, I just recommended someone I met a year ago who was wrong for that job but may be exactly right for the position they’re looking to fill now. It always pays to turn on your best interview charm until you are out the door – and out of the building. Remember…each person you meet counts. Even impressions made on receptionists or doormen matter!
Whether it’s a job interview or anything else – all you can do is your best
If you don’t get the job, it just wasn’t meant to be – at least not this time. Use each rejection as a chance to redouble your determination to get the next one. Or the one after that. Your job is coming.
But…if you aren’t sure you’re interviewing at the top of your game, this is definitely a chance to brush up your resume (may open up different types of jobs) as well as your interview skills. For interview help, you might find these earlier posts helpful:
15 Things I Look for When I Interview People
The Single Most Important Thing in Any Job Interview
Good luck! Hope you find a job you love.
~ Ronnie Ann
Do you have any stories about your own interviews? Did you ever feel the room go cold?
You might also find this post and comments (over 500 of them) helpful:
How To Tell If a Job Interview Went Well
A great list, Ronnie Ann! And while it indeed serves to explain why someone may not get a job, it’s an even better reminder list to read before going into an interview. That way, you can avoid the mistakes that can sink an interview—and a job offer.
A great list! For the first time in my life, I’m actually interviewing candidates, and it really is eye opening.
A few things to add:
An lunch with people who are at your level is still an interview and requires your best behavior.
If asked about your career goals, pick something that this job could help you work towards. Sounds obvious, but it’s hard to get excited about hiring someone who has the right skills but clearly wants the job just for the paycheck, not because they have any real interest in it.
(Oh, and Ronnie, I do believe I owe you an email– and an article. Working on it!
)
Thanks Terry B! Appreciate your suggestion about using these as a quick pre-interview checklist.
Hey TEB! Great to hear from you. And thanks for adding good interview tips from your own experience. Big smile on my face thinking of you in the interviewer seat now. Yes…we need to catch up. Looking forward to that article. Ahem.
Ronnie Ann
very good tips, very simple but so little people think of that. Though sometimes they have made up their mind allready. I am jobless and have had my fair few of job interviews. This one time they said immediatly that they wanted to hire another and that they thought I was not social and fit for the job. I had hardly introduced myself! Sorry but then I was like whatever. still, if the interview is done the way you would do it then anyone can have a fair shot. Also it helps when you can put volunteerwork on your resume, that proves that you are willing to work and do something for your community without gain for yourself
Hi Redheadlass!
Nice to see you here. Great tip about adding volunteer experiences to your resume. It not only shows there is more to you as a person, but sometimes you can show how you used your talents to their best, such as leading a small project or creating a new improved way of doing things for them.
You’re also right about some interviewers making up their mind from the moment they see you. Hope it makes you feel a little better to know I once went on an interview, and from the moment the guy saw me, I could tell I was not what he had been expecting. And although I usually interview really well, this interview was horrible!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I wish you the best of luck getting a job that’s right for you!
Ronnie Ann
i question the true nature of man? why are the poor left behind? why are the rich only getting richer? whatever happen to the human heart? humanity will succeed or fail as one species.
Although sometimes it may be hiding, I believe the human heart is indeed alive and well in all of us. Perhaps it’s in our power to create the change around us – and let it ripple out.
Peace out and in, truth!
~ Ronnie Ann
Additional comment:
It is also important HOW you answer a question. If you use the word “like” every other word, I (as the interviewer) would think you do not know proper english and would speak this way to customers.
So true Suzanne. Thanks!! Sometimes helps for people to listen to themselves in mock practice interviews. They might get a real surprise!
~ Ronnie Ann