5 surprising reasons you didn't get the job

You nailed it! 

At least you thought you did. Your performance at the job interview was stellar. You were convinced the company would be calling with the job offer any day. 

Yet, you never heard from the hiring manager again and a standard email notification arrives announcing that you didn’t get the gig.

What went wrong? Why didn't you get the job offer?


Was it that another candidate was truly more qualified? Did they decide to go with an internal candidate? Did you blow your chances by giving a nervous response when asked why you left your last position? Maybe. These are some reasons why you may have gotten the ax. But here are some surprising reasons why you didn't get the job:

1) You we're only interviewed for compliance reasons

The hiring manager may have already made her selection well before she called you to come in, but the company policy mandated that she perform a series of interviews with external candidates before extending an offer. As a result, the deal was already sealed before you walked through the door.

2) You didn't dress to impress

The résumé and cover letter knocked the recruiter off his feet, but your physical appearance wasn’t up to par. Simply put, your appearance gave off a bad first impression. Perhaps, the strong aroma from your perfume or cologne turned off the interviewer, or maybe the hiring manager noticed that your shoes were scuffed, your clothes were stained and ill fitting, or your fingernails were dirty. Next time, dress to impress and be well groomed. For tips, learn to dress to impress.

3) You failed the background check

This could be due to criminal history or even credit issues. If it’s the latter, it’s imperative that you immediately access your credit profile, rectify any errors or inaccuracies and devise a plan to boost your score. Identity theft could reflect on your background report, even if it doesn't represent your true background. If you're concerned about this, monitor your credit, protect your identity and rectify circumstances that could be keeping you from getting a job.

4) You presented yourself poorly

Perhaps you couldn't wait to sit in the hot seat, so you arrived 30 minutes early. That’s a big no-no; 10 minutes early is ideal. Possibly during the interview, you were filled with excitement and it showed by your being too hyper or overly talkative. Or maybe you appeared too cocky and the company feared that you wouldn't be a good team player. In essence, they thought you conveyed too much “I” and not enough "we." 

If you are giving off the wrong vibe at interviews, learn from your mistakes! Also resolve to formulate strong, brief answers to expected questions and rehearse your responses so that they don't sound scripted. Aim to have a natural sounding conversation with the interviewer.

5) You failed to follow up ... or you followed up too often

After the interview, you sat around twiddling your thumbs waiting for a call back instead of following up by email or sending a thank-you letter to reaffirm your interest in the position ... so the company assumed you didn't want the job. 

Or, alternatively, you may have overdone it by calling or emailing the hiring manager every day to see if the committee had made a decision, even if they expressed that they would call you. Forbes offers helpful advice about how to reach out post-interview.


Another possible reason for the rejection: There’s always a chance you were the chosen one, but last minute budget cuts meant that hiring for the position was canceled or delayed. Don’t give up because the position may be re-posted or an even better opportunity may open up later at the same company.

There are many reasons for rejection so be ready to combat them! Work to be the best candidate, the best dressed and the best at following up after the interview. 

Guest interview by SocialMonsters.org

Related Articles
Determining if the interview went well
Rejected for the job? Learn why
The right clothes to wear on interviews
Following up after the interview

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