Anyone who has been on a job search will tell you that you just can't win 'em all. No matter how well an interview goes or how qualified you are, you will eventually be passed over for a position.
There could be many reasons for this, and not all of them have to do with the quality of your candidacy. The problem is that most places will not inform you as to why you've been passed over, only that they've gone with someone else.
If you've been on the job search for a while and keep getting passed over, it might be time to find out why you made it to the interview stage but didn't get the job. It can only help in your future interviews. There are a few ways to go about this.
1. Ask Someone Close to You and the Process
Keep track of names, titles and contact information as you go through the process of submitting your information and scheduling an interview. Find people who are not necessarily the hiring manager, but work closely with them. This can be another human resources employee or the recruiter who first approached you.
Soon after the decision is made, reach out to one of those people inside the process, thank them for the opportunity to be considered for the job, and then ask whether they have time to spare to talk about it. If you've made this connection via email, schedule a few minutes on the phone with them.
2. Ask Open-Ended Questions About Yourself
Assuming you were in the running with a large pool of candidates and still want to work in that sector or industry, you can ask about the skills, education and experience that would make you the best candidate for a job like that. They might inform you of the specific skills that made them choose their new hire over you.
You can ask how to improve the skills listed on your resume by asking them what might have set you apart from other candidates. You might also ask what you brought to the company that made them want to talk to you -- why you were selected for the interview in the first place.
3. Ask About Your Interview Skills
If the qualifications shared between you and the person they hired aren't all that different, it might make sense to ask whether there was something about the interview that went wrong. Ask for feedback about your style and listen patiently; don't try to argue or disagree with their assessment.
For future interviews, it could be helpful to ask this person what tips, tricks or techniques they might recommend for interviewing in their company or industry. This is the kind of work they do all day, every day, and their input will be valuable to you.
4. Keep Looking
If someone in the HR department was kind enough to provide you with feedback on your interview or your skill set, be sure to thank them for their time and keep looking for another job. If you didn't hear back from them after a few attempts, don't keep at it. Move on and keep looking.
Rejection from any job opportunity never feels great, especially if the interview went well. Hassling the employees in the HR department will only be counterproductive, and if you apply to another posting there, it could be downright harmful. The best thing to do is what the military taught you in the first place: Press on.
Want to Know More About Veteran Jobs?
Be sure to get the latest news about post-military careers, as well as critical info about veteran jobs and all the benefits of service. Subscribe to Military.com and receive customized updates delivered straight to your inbox.
