Most college students dream of graduating, finding their perfect job, and working in a great environment until the day they retire or move on to greater aspirations. We all hear the success stories of individuals that love their job and have experienced years of enjoyment, companionship, and advancement. With great positions comes great responsibility, which can leave us walking into “Big-Girl” interviews shaking in our awkwardly-fitting pantsuits and big, fake smiles. Best case, we nail the interview, discover we are a great fit for the company, and the rest is history. This is the outcome we all hope for, but I feel like we don’t talk about the latter case enough–what happens if you don’t get that job you’d been ecstatic about for years? What happens when you get that devastating phone call or email saying that the position has been filled, but not by you? Here’s what to do when the worst happens.
Thank the company anyway.
Although it’s completely normal to feel disappointed and hurt when this happens, it is still in your best interest to maintain a professional attitude and thank the company as if you had been given the job. This is sure to establish a good, healthy relationship between you and the company, which is beneficial in the case of other positions opening up down the road.
Reflect on the interview.
Take some time to replay all of the interactions between you and this company. Was there anything that seemed off, either on your end or theirs? Did you not have an accurate portrayal of the job or company background? Did you present your best self during the interview and give wholesome, quality answers that reflected your competence for the position? Is there any red flags that could have been found (social media, professionalism, etc.) that could have affected you? If you are curious, it is perfectly acceptable to be transparent with your interviewer and ask for feedback–it shows that you are dedicated to improving your professional skills and will give you real suggestions for the future.
Revise your resume.
It is important to revise your resume each time you apply for a job and to make sure that everything on your resume is relevant to the position for which you are applying. Additionally, all accomplishments, previous work experience, and activities should be relatively recent–all within the last 5 years, if possible. Your cover letter should be individualized for this company and should be as least like a form letter if possible–how embarrassing it is to submit a cover letter with another company’s name!
Seek out similar opportunities.
Is that particular position the only one of its kind? Are there other opportunities for you to get involved in a similar manner, or will they be hiring again for the same position on an annual basis? Use this time to get involved on campus, especially with organizations that are relevant to your field of study. This shows commitment, leadership, and collaboration, and are great resume builders.
Practice public-speaking skills with peers.
All interviews, real or not, are a great source of practice for the bigger and more important ones that are to follow. There are many resources on campus to refine your public-speaking skills in professional settings, most of which willing to give you wholesome and comprehensive feedback on your performance. If giving a presentation, practice with your peers to get an outside perspective on the little things you might not notice, such as verbal fillers, distracting body language, or any other nonverbal habits that take away from your confident, professional image. It’s usually harder to present in front of peers than strangers, so take advantage of this opportunity to be fully prepared for the real thing.
First Impressions, free business casual and professional attire: https://www.cmich.edu/firstimpressions/Pages/default.aspx
CMU Career Services, free professional and career advising, resume revisions, mock interviews: https://www.cmich.edu/ess/careers/Pages/Default.aspx
CMU Mock Interview Peer Program, free practice interviews/presentations: https://www.cmich.edu/ess/careers/Pages/MockInterview.aspx
Don’t hold negative feelings towards the job or company.
The worst thing someone can do after not getting a job is to trash talk that company. Not only does that look unprofessional on your end, but it is very easy for such words to spread, meaning that you may not be able to pursue similar employment opportunities in the future. Try not to overthink the company’s hiring decision or overthink the reason you weren’t offered the position. There is nothing you can do to change it and doing this will do no benefit to you. Instead, leave this experience on a positive note and validate the competence of the one chosen for the job.
Keep an optimistic mindset for future possibilities.
Everything happens for a reason, which is why we can’t let one heartbreak in our career set us up for downhill path in the future. Use it as a learning experience to come back better, stronger, and more prepared in the next opportunity.