It's Not You, It's Me...
James Caan CBE
Recruitment Entrepreneur Chairman | Serial Entrepreneur | Investor on BBC's Dragons’ Den (2007-2010)
Have you recently left an interview feeling demotivated? Disappointed you didn’t get the job, or unhappy with your interview performance?
As an investor, I’ve had to learn that not every deal succeeds. The same is true of interviews. I would love to guarantee you 100% success, but not every interview will end with you getting the job, because some things aren’t meant to be, and for whatever reason, you’re not the right candidate for that role.
The important thing is not to dwell on your misfortune, it’s okay to fail, failure doesn’t mean you need to give up, it’s just another experience to learn from.
Instead of wallowing and losing hope, immediately look for what you can learn from the experience and come away stronger.
Make sure you ask for feedback
If you fail to get selected, assess why you weren’t chosen and be prepared to deal with any issues you can identify.
Let’s say you receive an email that says "Thank you for coming in, but unfortunately you haven’t been selected".
The first thing you should be thinking about is finding out why. Nine out of ten interviewers won’t give you a reason in the email, and most people accept that.
This is where they go wrong. If you don’t know why, how are you going to improve?
Find out what went wrong
Don’t be afraid to call your interviewer directly and pose the question. The trick is to handle this conversation carefully to ensure you get an answer you can work with, and not a bland, generic ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ response.
Be polite, yet forward. Show your appreciation, thank them for their time, trigger their memory by referring to something specific you discussed – something that will help the interviewer put a face to your name.
Then it’s time to make your move…
Ask: “I interviewed for the marketing role recently. I fully understand you found a better suited candidate, but just out of curiosity, could I ask what did you think made me unsuitable for the job? What do I need to work on?”
Initially, the interviewer will be taken aback by your question, and will probably try and give you a generic “you didn’t have the right experience” approach.
That’s the time to push harder.
"What area in particular did you feel I lacked experience?”
When you have an answer you can work with, you can either take this opportunity to push back and pitch yourself again, or thank them for the feedback and ensure you take this particular point into consideration next time you’re interviewing.
Constructive feedback can highlight weaknesses you weren't aware of. Don’t see this as a bad thing, understanding your strengths and weaknesses is vital for future success, and it’s a skill many of us lack.
Take it from me, as an employer and businessman, this approach is guaranteed to leave a good impression.
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Director, The French Translation Company Ltd
8yMy wife has extensive experience in recruitment and selection (mainly in education). She says that the main issue is that people do not always notice the importance of the Person Specification, which is a useful way of saying "These are the critical skills and experience we need in the appointee. Don't apply if you don't have them". Quite a lot of applicants just have a standard CV or application letter but don't bother customising it to the vacancy...
Customer Care Professional At Delta Airlines/Social Impact & Climate Change Enthusiast/Community Planner/Globetrotter
8yWonder who outside the firm, business or company can be asked "What area in particular did you feel I lacked experience?” when the actual hiring managers or personnel that interviewed you will not answer?
Customer Care Professional At Delta Airlines/Social Impact & Climate Change Enthusiast/Community Planner/Globetrotter
8y1.Most importantly, what to do if you or any of us make the attempt to assess and learn the very reason we didn't get selected, but never receive the honest feedback due to usually many companies not offering feedback afterwards and not doing so to prevent litigation? 2. Good article you wrote as would be nice that many people stop giving false hope of how a job can be sought just from who one knows or a good relationship with someone where I have seen many people still not get a job at an organization after sincere, long-time volunteering there or trying to make the best of an interview at a company where one of their internal contacts had pull and still no offer.
Senior Manager, Human Capital at Deloitte Consulting, LLP
8yVery true, your points are not only well made but they are tried and true! As an ex-recruiter, anytime this question came up I had more respect for the candidate and always kept them in mind for another role.