Helping Innovative Tech Companies, Marketing Agencies & PR Firms Hire Exceptional Marketing & PR Talent in the Boston-area & beyond | Ask me about our outplacement services
One of my favorite parts about recruiting is getting to speak with and learn from extremely smart, talented people. And I don’t mean just everyday smart, but truly standout, uniquely intelligent individuals who excel in what they do. One of my least favorite parts about recruiting is having to tell those same people that they didn’t get the job. My point? Job rejections should never be taken personally. In our industry, candidate feedback often sounds a lot like this: “We LOVED so and so, and would’ve made them an offer, but they were just a little too light on experience in {insert highly specific skill} for a {insert highly specific industry vertical} company.” Most hiring managers have extremely specific criteria in mind when opening a new mid- to senior-level position. So, to any discouraged job seeker out there, if you knew the likely reason you weren’t getting offers in today’s job market, you’d probably stop beating yourself up. Why most people think they didn’t get the job: ❌ Some sort of perceived character flaw, a fumble during the interview, or failing to sufficiently articulate their skills—while always a possibility, I see this in only a small minority of candidate rejections. ❌ You’re underqualified—big mistake! I submit sometimes dozens of highly qualified candidates for a position, but only one can ultimately fill the role. Just because you didn’t get the job, doesn’t mean you weren’t qualified for it. ❌ Your resume wasn’t strong enough—while I’m the first person to advocate for the importance of a great resume, that resume is usually only useful in opening the door for an initial conversation. Even if you look great on paper, it boils down to how well your skills actually align with the position. Every. Time. More common reasons many people don’t consider: ✅ The role was put on pause/is no longer needed—the industries our clients work in are fluid and things can change at the drop of a dime! ✅ You’re too experienced—believe it or not this is a common one. Companies want someone who is stepping into a role that feels exciting for them and that they can grow into, not someone who’s “been there done that” and might be looking for a promotion after a few months. ✅ Your salary requirement is out of range—oftentimes companies are forced to walk away from highly impressive candidates they can’t afford. ✅ The role required a certain tool or platform that you didn’t have experience in—if your company doesn’t happen to use HubSpot or Marketo, for example, it's not a reflection on you or your skillset! So, if you’re in a job search and getting discouraged, this is your reminder to never take it personally. This does NOT mean you shouldn’t still ask for feedback, strive for improvement, or continue to reflect on your performance during interviews. This means that if you’re feeling the sting of rejection, it likely had nothing to do with your impressiveness, intelligence, or competence. Job seekers, you’ve got this!!!
