5 Reasons You Didn’t Get Hired After The Interview

You walked out of the interview feeling like you killed it, only to find out days later that the company decided to go with another candidate. You knew before you even walked into the interview that you had the right skills, experiences and qualifications to do the job, so what went wrong?

You may fall into one of these categories without even realizing it.GETTY

Before you start frantically fixing your resume and questioning your self-worth, pause for a moment. There are five types of interviewers who struggle to get the job offer they truly want, and you may fall in one of these categories without even realizing it.

The Overqualified

You may be applying for the wrong jobs. Yes, you may have the right skills, qualifications and experiences but you may have too many of them. If you’re getting interviews for roles that require 2 years of experience and you have 4 years, this applies to you. While your interview may have been great, you could have been rejected because the hiring manager didn’t think you’d be fulfilled in the role, knew you wouldn’t be satisfied with slow career growth, or knew they couldn’t afford to pay you the salary you deserve.

The Desperate

If you’re applying to any and every position you’re qualified for, and hoping to just get in where you fit in, hiring managers are probably smelling your desperation as soon as you walk in the door. It’s giving off red flags that you’d be willing to take anything and that you’re not completely interested in them. First, stop applying to every position that flashes across your computer screen. Then, ditch the eager beaver act and focus on displaying confidence and value in your interviews.

The Rambler

You might struggle with answering question directly. If you’re always going on tangents, telling unnecessary stories, and including irrelevant details, you’re missing opportunity after opportunity to demonstrate why you’d be a perfect fit for the position. If you struggle with rambling, you aren’t 100% clear on why you’re the best fit for the role you desire. For next time, get clear on how to concisely show that you understand their needs, can solve their problems and can fit right in with the team’s culture.

The Ill Prepared

You might be a tad over-confident. You might struggle with this if you’re constantly saying, “I just need to get my foot in the door. If I can just get an interview, I’ll be good.”

If you assume that just knowing you’re qualified and that you’d love to work at the company are enough to woo the hiring manager, then you’re not doing enough. By not going the extra mile to prepare for interviews, you fail to truly stand out. Instead of winging it, do your research and identify the specific strengths, qualities and experiences that make you beneficial to the team and company.

The Almost Perfect

You might have been a close second in the interview process. You likely fall into this category if you tend to make it through several rounds of interviews and usually can’t think of any major mistakes. But to hiring managers, you’re missing something even if they can’t put their finger on it. The almost perfect candidate is good but not great – at least, in their eyes.

While things do happen that are out of your control, you may have find yourself in this predicament if you lacked enthusiasm or passion for the role or company. If you tend to focus too much on the technical side of things and forget to reveal your personality, values and similarities, the hiring manager could assume you’re amazing but not a good cultural fit. People like to work with people they like, so take the time to figure out exactly why you see yourself working well with the team and don’t be afraid to convey those qualities. Let your hair down – in the most professional way possible, of course.

The hiring process can be slippery and sometimes, no matter what you do, certain opportunities are just not meant for you. But, there’s no reason to miss out on a position you really want because you failed to clearly demonstrate your value. So, if you’re struggling in one of these areas, get clear on how you’re missing the mark so that you can finally secure a role you’ll love.