4.11 Analyze Why You Did Not Get A Job
What to Know
There are many factors that can prevent you from getting a job, such as:
- Sometimes the company decides not to hire anyone, or hires someone with more experience;
- Sometimes they hire from within the company;
- Sometimes your style does not fit the style they want; or
- Sometimes you are overqualified and the interviewer believes you will not stay with the company.
Rejections are part of the process and you should not get discouraged. Don't take it personally—sometimes the company's decision has nothing to do with you. But you should learn from every interview how to improve your interview skills. In that way, you can keep your self-esteem and improve your chances for success.
Look at the following list of factors, and think about how many of them are in your control. Start now, and work on the ones that you can get under control as you prepare for your interview.
| What Went Wrong | Ways to Improve |
- Poor manner and self-presentation, ranging from being arrogant to a poor handshake.
- Poor personal appearance and careless dress.
- Lack of enthusiasm and interest or no evidence of initiative.
- Lack of clear goals or ambition.
- Poor speech habits or inability to express self.
- Lack of preparation. Failure to research the company. Inability to ask intelligent questions or make intelligent comments.
- Failure to look at interviewer or demonstrate interest.
- Unrealistic salary demands or more interest in salary than opportunity.
- Inability to relate skills and knowledge to job or indefinite responses to questions.
- Negative comments about previous employers or exhibiting friction with various types of authority.
- Lack of interest in company/industry.
- Weak excuses or hedging about unfavorable information in background.
- Unwillingness to start where needed and working your way up.
- Lack of knowledge in specialized areas.
- Poor attitude as illustrated by lack of courtesy, cynicism, strong prejudices or low moral standards.
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- Follow guidelines for verbal and nonverbal interaction and for listening.
- Follow appearance guidelines.
- Use voice expression and nonverbal cues.
- Link skills to position, emphasize your career.
- Practice answers so you use good grammar and improve your oral presentation.
- Research the company, practice answering questions. Ask informed questions about the job and the company.
- Use body language guidelines.
- Research and emphasize a realistic salary.
- Prepare and practice answers to anticipated questions. Emphasize your transferable skills.
- Consider and practice answers about work experience and your relationship to supervisors and organizations.
- Research company/industry.
- Better prepare yourself to deal with prior problems. Acknowledge mistakes, talk about learning from them, present a positive picture.
- Emphasize that you want the job and are willing to make a commitment.
- Practice answers to anticipated questions so you can reveal your specialized knowledge.
- Reconsider how you present yourself. Think before you speak.
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