In my previous newsletter issue, I discussed specific signs that can assist you in gauging how well you performed during a job interview. What a surprise it is when you are totally confident you nailed it but you receive a rejection afterward! In reality, it actually occurs quite frequently. And if it happened to you too, you might be wondering what went wrong.

As I mentioned earlier, some apparently positive interview signals can be ambiguous and may have alternative explanations. Nevertheless, even if you interpret them correctly, there are many other factors at play. Here are the possible scenarios of what might have happened:

Your interview went well, but someone else’s interview went even better.

If you are applying for a job with no special requirements, or if you are applying to one of the top companies in your geographical area or industry, you will probably face tough competition. On average, companies interview around 10 applicants for every vacancy. Regardless of how excellent your interview was, there might have been another applicant with stronger qualifications. In fact, the probability is about 90%.

Solutions:

• Apply to more jobs that suit your profile until you find a perfect match for your skills and experience.
• Gain a niche skill or a rare combination of skills and expertise that are in demand but not possessed by many candidates (find your “blue ocean”).
• Focus on less attractive companies where there is less competition, and hence the company would be more likely to accept a less-than-ideal candidate.
• Use networking. If the job requirements are not very demanding, and there are many suitable candidates with a similar background, the fact that you can reach the hiring manager directly through your network or get a recommendation from someone who knows them personally can make the necessary difference.

Something has changed.

The recruitment process is complicated and time-consuming, while the business environment develops at a rapid pace. Additionally, the larger the company, the more stakeholders are involved, and they may change their minds and interfere in the selection. Here are several potential scenarios of what might have happened:

• Oftentimes, the hiring manager’s idea of who they are looking for is quite vague and evolves over time. You might have been a great fit at the beginning, but later, they changed their minds and decided to hire someone else.
• Especially in large organisations, multiple people are involved or can potentially influence the hiring process. It happens from time to time that yet another stakeholder decides to interfere and changes the selection of the preferred candidate or the premises of the search altogether.
• The vacancy might have been opened in advance due to a specific project or anticipated business growth that did not materialise on time. Consequently, the vacancy was put on hold or cancelled.
• The overall business circumstances under which the decision to hire was made may have changed, and the company realised that they needed to achieve additional cost savings. The position (or the entire hiring) was put on hold or cancelled altogether as a result.

Solution: There’s not much you can do on your side; just keep applying for other jobs.

They were actually not really hiring.

Many times, companies advertise positions without a genuine intention to hire. This may have several reasons; for example, they already have a preferred internal candidate for the vacancy, but their company policy dictates that they have to interview external candidates for every vacancy. Other reasons may be that they are just “testing the market” to see who they can potentially attract, or they are creating a pipeline of candidates in anticipation of future hiring needs. These practices are not very fair to candidates, but they happen quite often.

Solution: Keep applying for other jobs.

You did not show sufficient enthusiasm.

Every employer wants their employees to be enthusiastic about their company and the job. If you don’t convey the expected level of eagerness throughout the entire process, especially during the interview, they might assume that you don’t really want the job that much. This can make them concerned that you may either reject their offer in the end or have unrealistic salary expectations. Instead of risking the loss of time and effort with you, they will move on to another candidate who demonstrated more passion, even if they have a slightly less ideal profile.

Solution: Find a job that genuinely interests you. If you don’t like the job that much but still need it, at least express to the interviewers how much you desire it (without sounding too desperate).

You were too expensive (or too cheap).

The salary question typically arises relatively early in the process, usually during the first interview at the latest. Even if you are the best fit, if your salary expectations are too high, the company may not see a realistic chance that they could make you an acceptable offer even after some negotiation. On the other hand, if your salary expectations are too low, the company may assume you haven’t reached the required level of seniority yet and may suspect that you have fabricated your resume and interview answers.

Therefore, it is important to know your value on the job market—i.e., what a person with your education, experience, skills, and expertise can potentially ask for—and to anchor the salary discussion in the correct way.

Solution: Study Chapter 10 of my book ‘Get Your Dream Job’ thoroughly, learn how to handle salary negotiations effectively, and get the compensation you deserve.

Conclusion

Don’t be overly optimistic when you spot promising signals in a job interview. You can remain mildly positive, but don’t take the job for granted until you have a signed employment contract in your hands.

In the next issue, I will discuss negative signals that can indicate your interview went wrong. Unlike positive signals, negative signals are almost always certain, so you can be sure that you can write off the job opportunity, save your precious time, and focus on pursuing other job opportunities.

Good luck!

You may also like:

• Nailed It! Signs You’ve Secured the Job After Your Interview
• Beyond Resuscitation: Fatal Signs in a Job Interview Indicating Your Job Prospects Have Flatlined
• The Shocking Truth: Following Up After an Interview Can Destroy Your Job Prospects

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What would you like to hear about next? Tell me at vaclav@getyourdreamjob.co

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