I had a great interview but didn’t get the job — what happened? by Alison Green on May 12, 2021 A reader writes: A few weeks ago I had what seemed to be a terrific interview for a dream position. I had great chemistry with the team from the get-go, answered their questions well, and was invited back for a second interview with the hiring manager and another person I’d be working with closely. They […] Read the full article →
employer rejected me, then sent a list of everything I did wrong by Alison Green on March 2, 2021 A reader writes: I’m a younger person who is job searching for something full-time for the first time. Haven’t been having a lot of luck of course due to the state of the world, but I recently got an interview where I made it all the way to the final round and was rejected. At […] Read the full article →
my interview was great — but they hired no one instead of me by Alison Green on February 3, 2021 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 […] Read the full article →
why can’t I get feedback about why I was rejected for a job? by Alison Green on November 3, 2020 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 […] Read the full article →
how can I be less emotionally invested during my job search? by Alison Green on July 30, 2020 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 […] Read the full article →
a rejected candidate keeps demanding to know why we didn’t hire him by Alison Green on May 27, 2020 A reader writes: Last fall, I left a beloved job with a nonprofit and assisted them in hiring a new “me” — or, rather, two people to take my place with two different aspects of the job. One was an internal hire, the other required an outside interview process. We received over 50 applications, narrowed […] Read the full article →
should I reject job candidates by phone or email? by Alison Green on February 3, 2020 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 […] Read the full article →
how do I get over being rejected for a job I’m perfect for? by Alison Green on September 10, 2019 A reader writes: I know there’s no point in taking it personally when you’re rejected for a job. And when I do get rejected, I can usually come up with a reason why I wasn’t a good fit, even if I’d been excited about it previously. For example, I was able to realize after the […] Read the full article →
personalized rejection letters are crushing my spirit by Alison Green on July 16, 2019 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 […] Read the full article →
I responded angrily to a rejection — can I get them to consider me again? by Alison Green on July 8, 2019 A reader writes: I’ve applied twice to a long established small theater troupe on a farm. I followed the specific instructions to apply to this summer and last summer’s first session apprenticeship. Well, last year I was rejected and here starts the problem. It seems I must have missed the deadline because their response said […] Read the full article →