Recently, I had an interview with ClosedWon, an AI sales software company but they decided to move on with another candidate.
Rejection is never a pleasant experience but instead of feeling disappointed in myself I’ve taken some steps to find out why I didn’t get hired.
Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback.
You’ve got nothing to lose and it can’t hurt to ask at this point. What’s the worse that’ll happen? If the business ignores you after the rejection then so be it. Asking for feedback will help you more than it’ll harm.
Here’s a sample email I wrote so feel free to use a variation of it.
Hi_____,
Thank you for your time and consideration, I really appreciate it. If you don’t mind could you give me feedback on what I could improve on?
Thanks again,
Lena
Keep it short and concise
Nobody likes having to read through a long email, especially ones with flowery language. It gets annoying and it shows you’re inconsiderate of the interviewer’s time. They have dozens of other emails
Get straight to the point and don’t be afraid to be direct because it’ll reduce the chances of miscommunication.
And be sure to thank them for taking the time to interview you.
Rejection is part of the learning experience.
In fact, you should expect to get rejected at least ten times before landing a job. Job-seeking is comparable to dating and you need to identify your flaws before you can fix them. Sometimes we’re oblivious as to why we’re constantly rejected.
I actually learn best through trial and error which helped me get into Praxis after getting rejected the first time.
Rejection isn’t always your fault and you can be doing everything right but a business’ needs can change or it simply wasn’t the right time. There’s a variety of other factors going on but don’t let it discourage you.
Also, I’d recommend reaching out to your close friends, classmates, or family for emotional and professional support. You don’t have to do this alone and you have people who genuinely care about you.
You’ve got this!