Ask the Experts: Received a Rejection Letter? Don’t Give Up.

Question:

I recently applied to a job for which I thought I’d be perfect for, (skills, education, background, history, everything). I got an interview with an individual who really wasn’t in a position to hire/fire. I followed up only to receive in the next day’s mail the ‘thanks but no thanks’ letter. I would like to respond with a ‘reconsider me for the position’ type letter but am not sure what else I might include to urge the hiring individual to rethink her hasty rejection. Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions, advice?

First Answer:

It’s frustrating to get through the interview process thinking you have the position only to find out differently. Even if the interview didn’t have hiring and firing power, she likely had some input.

Résumés get interviews; interviews get jobs. Since you made it to the interview, your résumé did its job by getting your foot in the door. The focus now shifts to the conversation that went on during the interview. Were you prepared for the questions, or how could you have answered them differently? Did your answers push the pressure points for the interviewer?

When leaving any interview, make several notations about the questions asked, the topics your conversation drifted to, and analyze your responses. Some interviews are structured, where others are not; so the responses you provide within casual conversation can also have an effect on the outcome.

Think about the interview process as a one-sided relationship. Every answer you provide, every number or percentage you quote, and every skill you mention, should evolve around a core theme: the hiring company. Human resource managers don’t care about whether you can use PowerPoint, unless it’s relevant to them. They’d prefer not to hear about every task performed for the last 20 years … again, unless it’s relevant.

The interview potentially meant you had the job, but something went wrong during the interview process – they wouldn’t have wasted time unless they thought you could do the job, right? Build a relationship with your interviewer and focus on offering answers that are solutions focused. You can try sending a follow-up letter, however, it may not help. You’re probably better off cutting your losses and shifting efforts towards your on-going job search.

Pick up a publication on interviewing, such as 100+ Winning Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions by Casey Hawley (Barron’s), so you can uncover ways to polish your interviewing skills.

— Teena Rose, a certified and published résumé writer and career specialist with Résumé to Referral

Second Answer:

Why not call the hiring manager to find out what’s going on rather than try to guess in a letter?

— Tracy Laswell Williams, certified job and career transition coach, accredited resume writer and founder of CAREER-Magic.com

Third Answer:

You certainly have nothing to lose with such an approach. Of course, if the employer has already hired someone else, you may be out of luck for the moment, but there’s always the possibility the person hired won’t work out and you could be waiting in the wings. I’d suggest one of two approaches:

2. Write a follow-up to the rejection letter saying something like: “I was disappointed to learn that you decided not
   to consider me further for [name of position], but I am still very interested in contributing my talents to [name of company]. Here’s how I could contribute:” Then re-state your “skills, education, background, history, everything” that made you so perfect for the job, but do so in a way that’s different from your initial cover letter. Emphasize your “fit” with the company and position.

3. Tap into information that came up in the interview. Perhaps the interviewer mentioned a problem the company
   is hoping the person in this position will tackle.
   Give some idea how you would address the problem and
   offer to elaborate further in another interview.
   Pique the employer’s interest with how you can add
   value based on things you learned about the company’s
   needs during the interview.

— Katharine Hansen, former speechwriter and college instructor who provides content for the Web site, Quintessential Careers, edits QuintZine, an electronic newsletter for jobseekers, and prepares job-search correspondence as chief writer for Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters

Fourth Answer:

The old ‘thanks but no thanks’ letter. What a bummer! Well, before you re-contact the person who interviewed you, there are some things you need to consider. Take some sheets of paper and actually write out the answers to the following issues:

• What you learned about the opportunity – do critical analysis here
• What you said during the pre-screening interview about your ambitions in relation to the company and the opportunity
• How you may have sounded to the interviewer – legitimate, interested, motivated, qualified, milquetoast, wishy-washy, too eager to please
• Whether this really is a good match for what you’re seeking
• Who are the people with whom you’d be working if you got the job
• Is the ceiling too low so that you’d quickly outgrow the situation

If your analysis shows you really are qualified and have a growing future in this position, there are a few things you can do. Some are traditional, some are a bit more risky.

The person with whom you interviewed is not the one to hire for the position. So why return to them asking for reconsideration? Better to research the position a little more. Get a better understanding of what is sought, who the supervisor is.

[Risky path] Contact the supervisor directly, saying that you had an opportunity to meet with “First Interviewer” and you are still very interested in the position or one like it. You’d like to talk with Mr./Ms. Supervisor about positions of this sort to gain a better understanding of the requirements as you continue your search.

[Less risky path] Contact “First Interviewer” and thank them for their time. Do this by phone. Tell them you are very impressed with the company [if this is true] and would like to be able to vie for other opportunities that are a better fit.

But I’m making myself ill just writing those words. Once you’ve completed your own self assessment, you should have a pretty good sense of whether that was the right situation for you or not. Remember, not every job that initially looks like the perfect fit is actually what the fairy godmother was trying to deliver. May all of your Entrances be through the doors of success!

— Yvonne LaRose, career and professional development coach, Career and Executive Recruiting Advice

Fifth Answer:

As I read your question, the phrase that stuck in my mind was “a job for which I thought I’d be perfect for”. Mine time as job seekers we truly
believe that this is the job for us. When applying for a job, we really
don’t see the whole picture. Most interviewers have a predisposed mindset
of what they are looking for — both skill and personality wise. Sometimes
our view points are just not the same.

The other part of your information that was a little confusing was that the person you interviewed with, according to your statement, was not in the
position to hire/fire. Obviously, they were in the postion not to
hire. Many times the hiring process will involve several interviews with
several different people. Each step of that interview process will be
determined by the person who interviewed you last. For whatever reason,
the person you spoke with did not feel you were the person for the position
— especially since they were so quick to send you a rejection letter.

Review your interview process. Did you appear too eager? In hindsight, did the interviewer give you any cues you did not pick up on.

I wouldn’t tell you not to send a “reconsider me” letter but I would tell you that it probably won’t do any good. If you decide to send such a
letter, I would emphasize in the letter the skills you feel you possess
that match the qualifications that they employer is looking for. I would
also express my disappointment at not being considered for the positoin and
ask them to keep my resume in the consideration for jobs in that area in
the future.

— Linda Wyatt, Career Center Director, Kansas City Kansas Community College

Sixth Answer:

There could be two major reasons this happened. First, if the organization responded no so quickly and you were such a good fit, it could be because they already had a hire in mind but had to post the position for legal reasons. If the organization already knew who they planned to hire, it would not have mattered how strong of a candidate you were.

I would take a also close look at your background and do a gap analysis. There could have been one specific credential they were looking for that you didn’t have that ruled you out immediately. It could have been number of years of work experience, particular industry experience, a specific technology skill etc. Look at the original job description. Was there anything that was required for the role that you didn’t state explicitly in your resume? Sometimes employers won’t even read a cover letter.

Whenever you’re applying for a position, go through the job description with one highlighter and color the things you meet exactly. Then, take a second color and highlight the aspects you can sell, but not as strongly. If there is alot more of the second color than the first, it may be a sign that the position isn’t a match.

You should also get critical feedback on versions of your resume and cover letter from experts and colleagues in your field. Make sure your message is clear about who you are, what you bring to the table and what you’re looking for.

— Susan Strayer, Assistant Director, Career Services, School of Professional Studies in Business and Education at the Johns Hopkins University and founder and President of University and Career Decisions

Originally posted by alwin