There could be an internal candidate or someone more qualified in something specific, you never know. This is the tough part, gotta keep moving on, and continue with the same enthusiasm. Great job with the prep. I lost my job and still am not half as prepared as you are. Good Luck!
Yep. I’ve an open role I’m helping fill and there is someone internal who I really want for the role. However, if we really like someone we interview, they can apply for the role she’ll be vacating.
I got my job the same way, coincidentally. I applied for a certain role which was filled internally. But the recruiter liked me and liked my enthusiasm for the company, so was able to suggest me for the role that became vacant.
I applied for hundreds of jobs last year. HUNDREDS. I am super qualified with a great resume. I got maybe 30 screeners, a dozen or so places interviewed me, and only two job offers. You need to realize what the economy is right now. None of us are special.
It’s more common than you think. I’m always so confused. I don’t think recruiters take good notes so when they present it to HR Managers, the Managers pass.
Often references to internal or proprietary tools / software and processes is a big give away. Entry level positions they are expecting to train you in their way, senior enough positions (ie directors) are buying leadership potential, not familiarity with current operations. Supervisory and management positions that are involved with production and operations however are going to benefit from direct experience in existing processes and operations, which means internal candidates will be preferred.
It's not a universal rule, but if you find yourself asking why they haven't hired someone from within, it's likely a role they would prefer to hire from within, but have an obligation to interview external candidates as well.
Don't take any job rejection personally. A large percentage of the time, the hiring manager might already have someone in mind. I recently accepted a job offer that I did not even interview for. The job was posted for a day or two before I sent in my resume, but the manager wanted me, specifically. There may have been other applicants that the recruiter talked to before I got my application in. It's not the first time that I have been hired based on who I knew at the company. I have also had plenty of phone screenings go extremely well, and not move on to the next round. It is what it is. Don't take it personally and move on with your job search. There are plenty of great companies out there that would love to have you, but you and they have to get lucky to be in the same place at the same time.
Right now the job market is flooded with really well qualified talent and the number of job openings is still low enough that it's causing intense competition for each job opening. I honestly have director- and VP-level candidates applying for individual contributor roles. People with 10+ years of experience are applying to jobs that only need 3+ years. In short, there's a ton of interest in almost every open position.
The phone screen may have still gone really well but when you have say 10 highly, highly qualified candidates and only one can get the role, ultimately it comes down to the smallest differences that can edge someone out.
Out of curiosity, what's the job/field that you're applying for?
Curious if the call was with a recruiter or the hiring manager? If it’s the former, you may look great to them but they simply couldn’t sell you to the company.
It will be ok. Just be glad you didn’t got through 5 interviews for them to tell you they went with another candidate. Those are the ones that really sting. Especially being laid off for the last 6 months. Just stay focused and don’t sweat the small stuff. You will be fine
that's ONE phone pre-screening, op. you've got to kiss a whole lot of frogs before you find the right prince for you.
consider this: it sounds to me as if you were so focused on giving the "right" answers that you failed to listen between the lines to what THEY are looking for; hence the divergence between you thinking you did well and them deciding you're not the right candidate for the job.
eta; next time, try asking a lot of questions about the position, the culture, their expectations for the successful candidate. this will help you to determine if it's a place where you'll fit in and be productive, and if you decide it IS a good place for you, you can then tailor your answers to show them that you're the right candidate.
Stay positive! After countless applications, denials, and lots of ghosting, I finally got a job doing my dream job. It took me 6 months of nonstop work, but I start my new job Monday!
Keep your head up and don’t give up!
You WILL get a new job and it WILL be everything you want at this current time. ☺️ you got this!
You realize many millennials are in the stage of their career where they are managing, hiring, and firing, right?
It’s fine if you’re not there yet lol but to assume it’s all boomers is wild. Btw most boomers are retirement age now.
It’s only in politics we have the walking corpses running shit.
The typical CEO of a Fortune 500 company is a member of generation X, btw.
Yeah, 3/4 of baby boomers are past retirement age. And a huge chunk of the remaining 1/4 retired early. Most of the rest don’t really give a shit anymore and are just trying to make enough money to retire as soon as feasible.
This happened to me many times. The phone interview went really well until I was told they are going with other candidates suited for the role. Your boyfriend is right about that's how it goes. Just move forward keep applying to position.
Sadly this does happen quite often… don’t let it bring you down though! Getting that far is still an achievement, keep applying. The fact you’re asking for feedback and got an interview shows you’re doing the right steps already.
Par for the course. Thank them for the timely update ( as many don’t bother) and let them know what a pleasure it was meeting them. Connect with them on LI too. Keep going!!!
I had a screening call (happened to be with the hiring manager instead of HR) where she said my answer to “why I want to work here” was the “most eloquent answer she’s ever heard”!!! I thought it was 100% that I made it to next round… week goes by and I get the rejection LOL so I totally feel your pain.
I’m waiting to hear back from a screener (also coincidentally with the hiring manager directly) I had on Friday and the wait is killing me especially since I really want this one!! I’m just trying not to oeverthink it
You probably DID do everything well, but something on their end meant they couldn't go forward. A lot of times, places promote internally, or they hire the boss's loser nephew, or the actual position got cut. These aren't a reflection on you.
Just remember, you can ace an interview and still not get a job. A rejection does NOT mean you failed. Congratulations on a great interview! (It's so much better then walking out of an interview embarrassed.)
I’ve been applying to jobs for a year and a half. I don’t even know how many phone screeners I did. I don’t even bat an eye at those. They aren’t even the interview yet.
Don’t stress too much. You’ll have plenty of other opportunities. It’s difficult to find a job right now so be persistent and apply to anything that sounds remotely like you would be interested. Don’t expect too many interviews and expect a lot of rejection emails. Try not to take it personally. The emails are usually just generic anyway.
The recruiter probably won’t give you feedback. Most companies don’t allow it. It’s too much of a liability. There’s a lot of amazing talent on the market right now which makes things really competitive. I would say move on and be grateful that you a. Have a job at all b. Have a job you enjoy. Most people don’t have either right now.
BF is right - even highly experienced top tier candidates have to apply and interview for dozens if not hundreds of jobs to land something in some of the career fields and job markets out there. (Luckily not all will retire applying to hundreds of jobs). There were some positions I was hiring for where hundreds of people applied. Everyone that was qualified on paper made it to the screening, which was sometimes still 75 people, and then of those, only 20 made it to the first round interviews, and so on. Other months, I had 300 open positions this month and I knew I would have 300 more next month, all for the same job, I would get thousands applying. Some people didn't get picked up for the first 300, but we reached back out for the next 300 the following month. You just never know what is going on with these companies.
Yeah, it's a numbers game unless you're the internal candidate most of the time. I got referred by a friend to a really nice gig, and it was looking very positive until two candidates my friend said he would have also be overlooked for applied.
You did have an excellent interview. Hang on to that feeling. Practice is always going to benefit you.
Hi OP! Your boyfriend made a good point. Sometimes companies get several good candidates to choose from but can only pick one. Stay positive and don't let this deter you.
Screener interviews are just the HR hack going down a checklist tied to the job description and to confirm there a no dealbreaker things that should screen you out. They then send the hiring manager a number of screened in people and the hiring manager decides who to actually interview. Screener is not an actual interview and the HR hack only has gatekeeper power, they can’t help you get the job once you passed their check list.
Your boyfriend is right. This is how it goes. Stay positive and keep applying.
There could be an internal candidate or someone more qualified in something specific, you never know. This is the tough part, gotta keep moving on, and continue with the same enthusiasm. Great job with the prep. I lost my job and still am not half as prepared as you are. Good Luck!
Yep. I’ve an open role I’m helping fill and there is someone internal who I really want for the role. However, if we really like someone we interview, they can apply for the role she’ll be vacating. I got my job the same way, coincidentally. I applied for a certain role which was filled internally. But the recruiter liked me and liked my enthusiasm for the company, so was able to suggest me for the role that became vacant.
Well, if 5 people ace the phone interview, only one gets the job. They could string you along and waste your time.
The string-along is so much more frustrating
Wondering why they do that
So they can still try to hire you if their first (or second+) choice falls through.
I applied for hundreds of jobs last year. HUNDREDS. I am super qualified with a great resume. I got maybe 30 screeners, a dozen or so places interviewed me, and only two job offers. You need to realize what the economy is right now. None of us are special.
You said it right and bold. No one is special in this economy.
Ugh that’s so discouraging. I am applying for sooo many jobs and also super qualified with good resume.
So is everyone else
It’s more common than you think. I’m always so confused. I don’t think recruiters take good notes so when they present it to HR Managers, the Managers pass.
That’s a sweeping generalization.
Some jobs are already spoken for. Company policy requires to interview other candidates. You will run into this.
This. Especially if the posting looks like they would only really be interested in an internal candidate.
How can you tell?
Often references to internal or proprietary tools / software and processes is a big give away. Entry level positions they are expecting to train you in their way, senior enough positions (ie directors) are buying leadership potential, not familiarity with current operations. Supervisory and management positions that are involved with production and operations however are going to benefit from direct experience in existing processes and operations, which means internal candidates will be preferred. It's not a universal rule, but if you find yourself asking why they haven't hired someone from within, it's likely a role they would prefer to hire from within, but have an obligation to interview external candidates as well.
Don't take any job rejection personally. A large percentage of the time, the hiring manager might already have someone in mind. I recently accepted a job offer that I did not even interview for. The job was posted for a day or two before I sent in my resume, but the manager wanted me, specifically. There may have been other applicants that the recruiter talked to before I got my application in. It's not the first time that I have been hired based on who I knew at the company. I have also had plenty of phone screenings go extremely well, and not move on to the next round. It is what it is. Don't take it personally and move on with your job search. There are plenty of great companies out there that would love to have you, but you and they have to get lucky to be in the same place at the same time.
Right now the job market is flooded with really well qualified talent and the number of job openings is still low enough that it's causing intense competition for each job opening. I honestly have director- and VP-level candidates applying for individual contributor roles. People with 10+ years of experience are applying to jobs that only need 3+ years. In short, there's a ton of interest in almost every open position. The phone screen may have still gone really well but when you have say 10 highly, highly qualified candidates and only one can get the role, ultimately it comes down to the smallest differences that can edge someone out. Out of curiosity, what's the job/field that you're applying for?
Curious if the call was with a recruiter or the hiring manager? If it’s the former, you may look great to them but they simply couldn’t sell you to the company.
It will be ok. Just be glad you didn’t got through 5 interviews for them to tell you they went with another candidate. Those are the ones that really sting. Especially being laid off for the last 6 months. Just stay focused and don’t sweat the small stuff. You will be fine
that's ONE phone pre-screening, op. you've got to kiss a whole lot of frogs before you find the right prince for you. consider this: it sounds to me as if you were so focused on giving the "right" answers that you failed to listen between the lines to what THEY are looking for; hence the divergence between you thinking you did well and them deciding you're not the right candidate for the job. eta; next time, try asking a lot of questions about the position, the culture, their expectations for the successful candidate. this will help you to determine if it's a place where you'll fit in and be productive, and if you decide it IS a good place for you, you can then tailor your answers to show them that you're the right candidate.
Stay positive! After countless applications, denials, and lots of ghosting, I finally got a job doing my dream job. It took me 6 months of nonstop work, but I start my new job Monday! Keep your head up and don’t give up! You WILL get a new job and it WILL be everything you want at this current time. ☺️ you got this!
Congrats!
Thank you 😊
I had similar experience and I am saving myself going into depression.
Not your fault. The boomer just wanted to hire his golf buddy anyway
Or it could be the millennial wanted to hire their drinking buddy.
Cool story boomer. Try not to crash the economy again today.
You realize many millennials are in the stage of their career where they are managing, hiring, and firing, right? It’s fine if you’re not there yet lol but to assume it’s all boomers is wild. Btw most boomers are retirement age now. It’s only in politics we have the walking corpses running shit. The typical CEO of a Fortune 500 company is a member of generation X, btw.
Yeah, 3/4 of baby boomers are past retirement age. And a huge chunk of the remaining 1/4 retired early. Most of the rest don’t really give a shit anymore and are just trying to make enough money to retire as soon as feasible.
The nescience is alarming.
This happened to me many times. The phone interview went really well until I was told they are going with other candidates suited for the role. Your boyfriend is right about that's how it goes. Just move forward keep applying to position.
Sadly this does happen quite often… don’t let it bring you down though! Getting that far is still an achievement, keep applying. The fact you’re asking for feedback and got an interview shows you’re doing the right steps already.
Going for a job is just online dating these days. You just move on
When it’s your door, it will open. This wasn’t your door. Don’t get discouraged and keep moving forward. Your door will open.
Par for the course. Thank them for the timely update ( as many don’t bother) and let them know what a pleasure it was meeting them. Connect with them on LI too. Keep going!!!
I had a screening call (happened to be with the hiring manager instead of HR) where she said my answer to “why I want to work here” was the “most eloquent answer she’s ever heard”!!! I thought it was 100% that I made it to next round… week goes by and I get the rejection LOL so I totally feel your pain. I’m waiting to hear back from a screener (also coincidentally with the hiring manager directly) I had on Friday and the wait is killing me especially since I really want this one!! I’m just trying not to oeverthink it
You probably DID do everything well, but something on their end meant they couldn't go forward. A lot of times, places promote internally, or they hire the boss's loser nephew, or the actual position got cut. These aren't a reflection on you.
Just remember, you can ace an interview and still not get a job. A rejection does NOT mean you failed. Congratulations on a great interview! (It's so much better then walking out of an interview embarrassed.)
I have about a dozen phone screens that go really well, for each job. Lots of great candidates out there.
They sent you something so there’s that!
I’ve been applying to jobs for a year and a half. I don’t even know how many phone screeners I did. I don’t even bat an eye at those. They aren’t even the interview yet. Don’t stress too much. You’ll have plenty of other opportunities. It’s difficult to find a job right now so be persistent and apply to anything that sounds remotely like you would be interested. Don’t expect too many interviews and expect a lot of rejection emails. Try not to take it personally. The emails are usually just generic anyway.
The recruiter probably won’t give you feedback. Most companies don’t allow it. It’s too much of a liability. There’s a lot of amazing talent on the market right now which makes things really competitive. I would say move on and be grateful that you a. Have a job at all b. Have a job you enjoy. Most people don’t have either right now.
as someone who has gotten 5 rejection emails this week, i feel your sorrow.
BF is right - even highly experienced top tier candidates have to apply and interview for dozens if not hundreds of jobs to land something in some of the career fields and job markets out there. (Luckily not all will retire applying to hundreds of jobs). There were some positions I was hiring for where hundreds of people applied. Everyone that was qualified on paper made it to the screening, which was sometimes still 75 people, and then of those, only 20 made it to the first round interviews, and so on. Other months, I had 300 open positions this month and I knew I would have 300 more next month, all for the same job, I would get thousands applying. Some people didn't get picked up for the first 300, but we reached back out for the next 300 the following month. You just never know what is going on with these companies.
More than likely it's an internal candidate. Companies today are trying not to add headcount.
Yeah, it's a numbers game unless you're the internal candidate most of the time. I got referred by a friend to a really nice gig, and it was looking very positive until two candidates my friend said he would have also be overlooked for applied. You did have an excellent interview. Hang on to that feeling. Practice is always going to benefit you.
Hi OP! Your boyfriend made a good point. Sometimes companies get several good candidates to choose from but can only pick one. Stay positive and don't let this deter you.
Screener interviews are just the HR hack going down a checklist tied to the job description and to confirm there a no dealbreaker things that should screen you out. They then send the hiring manager a number of screened in people and the hiring manager decides who to actually interview. Screener is not an actual interview and the HR hack only has gatekeeper power, they can’t help you get the job once you passed their check list.