Processing a Declined Application: The Aftermath

You’re halfway onwards to your chosen career if you managed to schedule that interview. The worst is yet to come before you’re assured a position, though. You really don’t have to worry about your prospects if you’re qualified and you love to be part of a team with shared skills and interests. Some people still get the jitters during the interview process, so much so that their whole game plan is thrown out the window once they’re grilled in front of a panel of HR personnel. In case you’ve just been mercilessly berated by interviewers and declined for the job, the least you can do is charge the loss to experience and move on. If you can’t, then you should consider any or some of these as reasons for the decline. Qualifications You’re qualifications don’t match the demands of the position. You can interpret this either way, though. You could’ve been turned down because you were overqualified, which is a complement but still a setback. Employers are usually wary of applicants vying for jobs beneath their qualifications, as discontentment tends to sink in later on, along with disappointments and boredom. The flip side is your qualifications don’t meet the minimum requirements. You have to blame yourself for wiggling into a position you can’t fill, though. With this considered, it’s inappropriate to assume qualifications you don’t really possess, and then offer these as strengths on your applications. Even though some interviewers do their due diligence in background checks, some prefer to bring everything into light on the day of the interview. Spare yourself the embarrassment and be honest about what you can offer. Enthusiasm Your enthusiasm (or lack thereof) fails to impress. This one is all on you. It’s a shame to be qualified for the job and not have the motivation to push through. You really don’t have to be overjoyed at the prospect of working with the company to make the cut. You only need to show interest in being part of the team and carrying through the tasks as expected. HR personnel see through you, and won’t hesitate to pass over your application if they don’t see the fire in you. Besides, how you conduct yourself during your interview says a lot about your future performance as an employee or team leader, so set yourself straight before you walk in and sit in. Preparedness Your lack of preparation communicates inefficiency, something employers absolutely won’t tolerate. You can do the interview with bare knowledge of what the company is all about, but put your best foot forward just the same and do your own background checks. Preparation is an extension of your attitude, if you’re willing to go the extra mile just to ensure you’re a culture fit to the team. Your knowledge of the company will come up sooner or later, so make sure you have stock answers on hand for your interviewers. You can check for recruitment companies at workpac.com if you’d like to send feeler to as many companies as possible. Just make sure you do the research on all of them so you’re prepared when they respond and set up an interview appointment.