You felt great! As you left the building or hung up the call, you just knew the job was yours. But the offer never came. Instead, you received the dreaded, “We’ve gone another direction,” phone call or email. Or, even worse, you were ghosted. You can’t help but wonder, “What went wrong? Why didn’t I get the job after a great interview?”
While it is important not to dwell on the past, we must reflect on the experience and learn from it. Below are seven reasons you may not have gotten the job even if the interview seemed to have gone well.
Why didn’t I get the job after a great interview?
7 Reasons to Consider
- An internal candidate was chosen
- The pool was competitive, and someone edged you out slightly
- The company saw your strengths but thought you still had room to grow
- Budget limitations
- Vague answers
- You didn’t ask questions or express enough interest
- It may not have been a great interview
1. An internal candidate was chosen.
It is tough to beat a good, internal candidate. Why? Because the company already knows that person, their potential, and time and resources have already been invested in training and growing that employee. Some organizations, take the government and schools, for example, are forced to advertise a position to the public and conduct interviews even if there is an internal candidate they have been grooming for a role. So, even if you were a stellar candidate, you may have been somewhat doomed from the start. The important thing to remember in this situation is that the hiring manager might be saving your resume for another opportunity or even passing it along within the organization—you just never know!
2. The pool was competitive, and someone edged you out slightly.
Sometimes there will be people with a lot of experience seeking employment for which they are over-qualified. And as a result, there will be a lot of people asking themselves the same question you are, “Why didn’t I get the job after a great interview?” When the economy is struggling or even rebounding, we see a lot of “gray collar” workers or people working in jobs they are overqualified for to keep a paycheck coming. Additionally, many professionals are willing to take a pay cut to work for a great company or to have the flexibility that other jobs haven’t provided. Don’t be too hard on yourself, you may have been a great candidate, and the company saw the opportunity to get an experienced professional.
3. The company saw your strengths but thought you still had room to grow.
I always encourage my clients to apply for jobs even if they don’t feel they meet all of the qualifications. Why? Because companies write job descriptions with the perfect candidate in mind. A position description is almost like a Christmas wish list. Very rarely will they find someone who has everything they want.
That said, if you apply for a job and have about half of the desired qualifications, sometimes you get the job, and sometimes you don’t. If you’re wondering, “Why didn’t I get the job after a great interview?” go back and review the position description again. If there were some gaps between their ideal candidate and your qualifications, perhaps they saw your potential but wanted to give you more time to grow. Don’t take it personally; use it as your guide for professional development.
4. Budget limitations.
I’ll reference economic downturns again. The company may have thought they had the resources to hire, and then, suddenly, they could have lost a large client. Budget limitations are always large factors in hiring and negotiations. Again, don’t take it personally; it could just be a business decision that prevented you from getting a job offer.
5. Vague answers.
The number one mistake I see candidates make in interviews is not elaborating and giving examples when answering job interview questions. If you thought your interview went well but was relatively short, this could have been a factor. I recently wrote an article about job interview questions and answers. I provide examples of average but common interview responses and compare them with responses that will set you apart. Don’t miss this valuable information! Also, I offer interview preparation calls to help you knock your next interview out of the park!
6. You didn’t ask questions or express enough interest.
How many questions did you ask the hiring manager at the end of the interview? If you got to the end of the interview and had no questions when he/she inquired, it could have counted against you. You are expressing great interest by asking questions about the company and position. Not asking questions might communicate that you were unprepared or are interviewing anywhere and everywhere and just want a job. If you made this mistake, check out my article on Questions to Ask in an Interview. I list 10 great questions you can use to help ensure an opportunity and company is a good fit for you.
7. It may not have been a great interview.
This one is tough to hear; however, the interview may not have gone as well as you thought. If you don’t have a lot of experience interviewing or if it has been a while, get some help preparing for your next one. A one-hour preparation session with an experienced manager or career coach (I can help!) will be a small investment of your time and will make a big difference in your confidence in the interview and the outcome.
How to move forward
Whatever the reason for the question, “Why didn’t I get the job after a great interview?” there are steps you can take moving forward. Here are a few suggestions:
- Get feedback – do what you can to get feedback from the hiring manager or interview panel. This will keep you from wondering what went wrong and help you with future preparations.
- Don’t let the rejection define you – whatever you do, don’t let this define you or shake your confidence. It kills me when I hear, “I just suck at interviewing.” No, you don’t. You just need to prepare a little more and practice. You can get better at interviewing, I promise!
- Keep moving forward – if you weren’t offered the job, it wasn’t the right fit. Accept that, believe that, and keep moving forward. The right job is out there, and you will be prepared and ready to rock the interview when it does come. Mindset is everything, and confidence is key!
Want to improve your interviewing skills? I can help!
I love helping candidates prepare for an interview! If you have an interview, let me help you prepare interview answers and stories that will make you stand out and adequately illustrate your skills and experience. Are you short on time? No problem! An hour session is all it takes to help you confidently knock your next interview out of the park!
Book a coaching call now!
