“I got to the fourth-round interview for a job I really wanted and didn’t get hired. What did I do wrong!?”
Messages like this fill my inbox. Veteran job seekers are using all the tools, techniques and strategies we teach to successfully navigate the military-to-civilian transition, and then they don’t get hired. Did they do something wrong? Did they miss something? Was someone else just a better candidate?
In today’s turbulent, unpredictable and frustrating hiring market, job-seekers are seemingly doing everything right and sometimes not landing a role. They research the employer, analyze the job description, match (sometimes using AI tools to assist) their resumes and applications to align with the keywords and key phrases and requirements of the job description, leverage their networks for a good word on their behalf, and start the interview process (hopefully). And still, many remain unemployed.
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Why You Might Not Have Been Selected
- If I had a crystal ball, if a comprehensive and truthful research report indicated exactly why every employer chose one candidate over another, and if hiring was an exact science, I could tell you why you didn’t get picked.
- Here are some possible reasons you weren’t ultimately selected:
- The company found an internal candidate who was, in many ways, a known entity to them, thus reducing the uncertainty and paperwork of hiring from the outside.
- The position may have been put on hold or cancelled. Yes, you can get to a fourth-round interview, and someone makes the call to halt hiring on that job.
- In the end (after the interviews), they felt you weren’t a fit for the team and culture of the organization. This matters to companies. They want to hire people who’ll fit in, work well with the others on the team, and add value. If you didn’t communicate that, or if they felt a disconnect, then your skills and experience weren’t strong enough to overcome that.
- Someone may have had one more skill, certification, qualification or endorsement than you. Sometimes it can come down to two very qualified, ideal candidates, and the employer must find something to tip the scales in favor of one candidate. It might not even have been something you deemed important.
- Did you refrain from showing who you are and what you care about? Employers hire for skills, experience and cultural fit, and they also want to know who you are as a person. If you didn’t share the human side of your career, such as why you were in the military, why this job appealed to you, why you prioritize and solve problems the way you do, they may not feel they saw the whole person.
- Other possible reasons include: Did you say something in the interview that was off-putting? Were your salary goals unrealistic or out of line with what they’re offering? Did you take too long to respond to their scheduling needs? Did you speak ill of a past employer or assign blame to someone else when they were assessing accountability?
There are endless possible reasons you may not have ultimately been selected when you believed you were a great fit.
Read More: 5 Steps to Start Your Civilian Networking Strategy
What You Can Do Next Time
Here’s what you can do to help ensure you’re successful going forward:
- Research the company, the hiring professional, the company’s competitors and industry. This helps you sound knowledgeable about the work you’d be doing in the context of their business.
- Refrain from offering any negative comments or feedback on former employers, bosses, colleagues and jobs.
- Ensure all your materials, from your resume and cover letter to your application documents, to your LinkedIn profile, are error free, consistent in tone and content, and reflect positively on you and your candidacy.
- Show up with enthusiasm, professionalism and authenticity to every interaction. Employers aren’t looking for you to be perfect, but they are looking for someone who brings the right skills, credentials and experience, who’s a good fit and who consistently communicates their values in ways they relate to.
The job market is tough right now. Celebrate the fact that you made it as far as you did, learn from any feedback the hiring professionals offer, and approach the next interview with a fresh mindset.
Find the Right Veteran Job
Whether you want to polish your resume, find veteran job fairs in your area or connect with employers looking to hire veterans, Military.com can help. Subscribe to Military.com to have job postings, guides, advice and more delivered directly to your inbox.
