You met all the qualifications, you researched the company thoroughly, and you brought your A game to the interview … but they chose someone else for the job of your dreams.
Sometimes our career paths don’t take the turns we expect them to. Take Hillary Clinton, for instance, who spent half her life preparing for the presidential role she was never offered. But she didn’t waste a single second wallowing in the shoulda-coulda-wouldas. Instead, Hillary dusted herself off and aimed straight for the next best thing.
It’s true, we can’t always get what we want when we want it—especially in today’s competitive job market. But often something equally as interesting and valuable is waiting for us in the meantime. Here, some insights on how to recover from the one that got away.
1. Send a thank-you note. Yes, it’s probably the last thing you feel like doing, but a little graciousness can go a long way. Soon after you’ve been rejected, send a note to your interviewer thanking him for his consideration and asking him to keep you in mind for future openings. If and when a position becomes available, your thoughtfulness might be enough to put you back in the running.
2. Find out why. There’s no shame in calling the HR manager to ask why they chose her over you. The answer can help you determine whether you need to sharpen your interview skills, garner more experience in a certain area, or learn how to slant a negative attribute in a more favorable way. Also, showing a willingness to improve indicates that by the time a new position opens up, you could be the right one for the job.
3. Keep in touch. If you’re really not willing to let the job go, take advantage of your new “in.” Assuming you had an interview, you probably met several people within the company—the HR manager, a sampling of the employees, the secretary. If you seemed to click with any of them in particular, ask if they’d be willing to meet you for coffee so you can gain more insight into their industry. As you pick each of their brains, you’ll get details about how the company functions and what they value most. (Or, they just might let you in on all of the employer’s dirty little secrets, and you’ll thank your lucky stars you got placed in the “no” pile.)
4. Think “blessing in disguise.” So Plan A fell through.
