It’s going to happen to you more often than not. You’ll spend hours prepping for the interview and days obsessing about how your life might change should you be the successful applicant. And then you get the email or (if you are lucky) phone call letting you know you were unsuccessful. It can be really tough and leave you feeling hollowed and humbled. If you are particular uncomfortable in your current role, that feeling of failure can be particularly impactful. Here are four things to do when you don’t get that job, only to have the bubble burst.
Listen to feedback
People are often so hurt about being passed over that they leave great feedback on the table. If you get to the interview stage and continue to progress through the process, it is perfectly reasonable to reach out to the hiring manager after the process is completed (not before as they will likely not be in a position to advise you) to inquire about how you did in the interview and whether they have any feedback that they can provide you on how to improve. If you get feedback, especially if it is critical and even if you feel like it is off-base, detach yourself, listen and consider.
They are doing you a favour by speaking with you and seek the truth in their comments. Take notes and after you’ve given yourself some space, come back to the feedback and consider course alterations you can make in your career to meet some of the gaps identified. If the issues are interview performance based, consider ways to better-prepare yourself for future interviews. If it is transferable skills or experience based gaps, then set up a plan to fill the holes so you’re set up to succeed next time around. If it is difficult to hear, just recite some of the mantras John outlined in this article about tough feedback.
Reflect and learn
Odds are that if you think about it, you can probably take something from the whole process. Perhaps you learned more about the particular organization, their challenges and opportunities that will set you up for success in the future. Hopefully you made a positive impression on the hiring manager, a person who, even though they went another way this time, could be a big ally or advocate in the future. Or maybe you just got a real-time opportunity to practice your presentation skills in a high pressure environment. Regardless, look at the whole experience as an opportunity to learn, not a setback.
Stick with your plan
In any job search, you will ideally have a plan in place that will help guide you from your current situation to your next job. Plans create focus and they help us be authors of our own fate, significantly increasingly the likelihood that the next position you land will be one you actually want, which will meet your requirements if not your aspirations (ranging from area of work, sector, compensation, flexibility, a boss you can learn from, etc). Without a plan, you’re left adrift on the career seas, doomed to apply for anything that comes across your radar and potentially leaving you applying for roles that won’t benefit you long term. When you fail to get the next opportunity, it’s worthwhile, consciously returning to your plan, reviewing it and adjusting where appropriate. I’ve always found that action helps move me forward, particularly in times of stress or rejection. What are the next steps/actions you need to take? Is there another position that recently tickled your fancy? If there are no particular job opportunities on the horizon, double down on an informational interview strategy and follow up with mentors to apprise them of your current status and next steps. The more solutions oriented you can be, the better.
Stay positive
I know that this is easier said than done. But it is important that you don’t dwell too long on the missed opportunity and instead focus on your plan and potential new opportunities that are guaranteed to re-appear down the line. Always remember, once you have incorporated the learnings from your last go-around into your job search plan, you are that much better set to go for the next opportunity. Showing this fortitude and positivity – particularly to the hiring manager that passed you over – is also something to consider. Often, if the person they chose didn’t work out, they may wish to come right back to you in the future so make sure you stay in touch.