The road to a new job is generally littered with all sorts of failure, but there’s no need to give up just because you didn’t get the position you were seeking. Trust me, if they gave out T-shirts for making the final two or three on the hiring list I’d have enough material to make a quilt. The key to interview success is to come up with a list of take-aways from the experience.
Building Bridges
First and foremost, you’ve built a bridge. Obviously there was something about your resume or interview pitch that the folks at the company found intriguing. If the interview experience was good and you feel like there was a rapport with some of the people you talked with, don’t be afraid to reach out via LinkedIn and email to keep that person as a connection.
Be sure to thank the person or persons involved in the interview process. Tell them how much you think of the company. If you really liked the company, you never know when another position might come open or if the job you interviewed for might be available again.
Often times in the past few years, I’ve had connections I made from job interviews send me leads and tips on jobs at their company or recommend me for positions where their friends work.
Be a Pro
It’s important to be a pro and respond professionally regardless of the outcome of an interview. Sometime this means knowing the difference between when the person tells you “no” and what they are actually saying is “not this time.” There are times when you might not be the right fit for what they are looking for at the moment, but if you keep the lines of communication open there will be a job that might be perfect for you.
Professionals accept success and failure with equal grace and humility. These economic times have been tough on the average job-seeker, but you have to keep your head up and your mind open to possibilities you hadn’t thought of. Twice in the past five years I’ve been offered part-time positions and each has worked into full-time work. Quite honestly, I had my doubts about both opportunities, but they been great career experiences and I have grown personally and professionally from each.
Something About You
Always keep in mind there was something about your resume that caused you to rise above the other candidates to get an interview, so you must be doing something right. Even if you didn’t get the job, the experience of interviewing at a company that you spent the time and effort to get to know will help you to be a better interviewer the next time out.
This experience will also help you shape an opinion of the kind of business you would ultimately like to work for. Often we look at a company from the outside believing that it is our dream situation only to find out once we get inside that things aren’t as glowing as we thought. Conversely, we meet leaders who are mentors and have great management styles and it reinforces your desire to work for a company.
In the end, I can’t say it enough, be a professional. People look to positive people when they do their hiring. While today’s answer might be no for this job, who knows what a little positive communication can mean down the road? Good luck.