Friday, June 10, 2011

Three Things to Do if You're Not Hired

There is nothing more disappointing than getting a call and finding out you were not selected for a position. While you will mostly likely feel discouraged, take control and focus on what you can learn from the experience. Here are three things to do if you are not hired:

1. Ask what made the other individual a stronger candidate.
Maybe the other individual had a certain credential and you didn't. Maybe the other candidate had more experience in a certain area. After finding out the reason(s), you may decide to take some action to make yourself a stronger candidate for future positions (additional training, volunteering with an organization to gain experience).

2. Ask for feedback on ways to enhance your interview skills.
Perhaps they wished you would have provided more examples of your experience. Perhaps they would have liked you to ask for the job. Finding out any weaknesses during your interview will help you be more competitive for future interviews.

3. Send a thank you
. Yes, send a thank you even if you were not selected (and even if you already sent a thank you after your interview). Thank them for their time. Thank them for providing you with feedback on ways to be a stronger candidate, and tell them that you will work on these areas. Finally, mention that if for some reason the person selected does not work out, you would still be very interested in the position.

So if you find yourself coming in second place, turn the situation into a learning experience. It will make you more competitive.

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