rejections

What to know about job rejections — why they happen, deciphering form letters, asking for feedback, and not getting discouraged.

my interview was great — but they hired no one instead of me

A reader writes: I am a restaurant industry professional, in the field of wine and beverage management. My experience in this area is fairly competitive and accomplished for my city (I have about seven years in management level wine/beverage director roles, and more junior but still relevant experience prior to that). COVID-19 has taken a […]

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why can’t I get feedback about why I was rejected for a job?

A reader writes: Do any interviewers give feedback anymore if you don’t get the job? Since being furloughed, I have been frantically applying, interviewing, and getting to second and sometimes third rounds of the hiring process, and then I get rejected. With so many out of work, I understand that the job market is tough […]

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how can I be less emotionally invested during my job search?

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I am about a year into my job search and it’s really wearing on me emotionally. I finished grad school about a year ago in a STEM-related (but not lucrative) field. I am trying to stay in the area where my partner lives and it […]

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should I reject job candidates by phone or email?

A reader writes: Should you always call to let a candidate know that they won’t be getting a job offer? Here’s the context: I’ve gotten calls and emails letting me know when I wasn’t accepted for a position. And my colleagues and I all agree that we hate getting phone calls. It’s awkward! If you […]

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personalized rejection letters are crushing my spirit

A reader writes: I recently graduated from college and am trying to find that first full-time job in an increasingly shrinking industry: book publishing. I’ve volunteered at small presses, had three six-month long internships, and have a great network of publishing professionals. If I send out my resume, I’m getting responses and doing really good […]

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