According to Glassdoor, the jobs and recruitment website, often, the reason you weren’t hired is only distantly correlated to your strength and fit for the position.
Here are 7 reasons why you may not have gotten the job:
1. You weren’t qualified
Recruiters say that over half of job applicants for a given job aren’t qualified – and sometimes even more. Don’t be surprised when you don’t hear back if you only met 50 percent of the qualifications. But on the other hand, myopically applying for only the jobs you are fully qualified you for can limit your options. Applying for a job requiring 6 years of experience when you only have 4 isn’t idealistic.2. The company is going through a hiring freeze
Sometimes, HR will post jobs online even though the company is going through internal turmoil and actually hasn’t hired anyone in a year. A hiring freeze could also take effect when you’re in the interview process, in which case you could be dropped out of the running unceremoniously. This might also be something HR doesn’t want you to know because they don’t want news to spread about why the freeze had to happen.3. The position was filled internally
Internal candidates generally have first dibs on a role rather than a new hire coming into the company. In fact, sometimes an internal candidate is the only one being considered, but the company has a policy about publically posting jobs. The job could have only had the illusion of being open but was actually reserved for someone else from the start. Again, don’t get down on yourself.4. They were hiring for fit
Even if your resume perfectly fits the qualifications and your cover letter is stellar, there’s no guarantee you’ll land the job. It depends on where you’re interviewing, but many workplaces are increasingly concerned with building a cohesive company culture. Research company culture on Glassdoor beforehand so you have a better idea of what they’re looking for.5. You made a not-so-great impression on HR
When HR looks at a talented pool of applicants, even one misstep can be reason enough to cost you the gig. No matter how gifted you are, being courteous, professional, and kind to the people hiring you is always essential.6. You were over-qualified
Suppose a hiring manager is looking for someone to do a specific job you seem over-qualified for. In that case, they might take the less-qualified applicant for budget reasons or because the role was more junior than your qualifications. Hopefully, you will quickly be rewarded for your skills elsewhere!7. The company went through a restructuring
Hiring can be put on hold during a major restructuring, during which HR will reevaluate their priorities for what kind of job positions they need. If you’re still really excited about the company, don’t give up hope – let HR know that you’re interested in any future positions that might come up.“Whatever the reason, not landing a particular job shouldn’t prevent you from continuing to search. There are plenty of ways to address the previously mentioned reasons why you may not have landed the job,” said Lillian Childress.
“Review your resume, tap your network, get a referral, and get back out there. The job search may not be easy, but scoring a job you love is worth the wait.”
