Understanding Why You Didn’t Get the Job Offer – And How to Move Forward

Thought you nailed the interview? End up surprised and disappointed when you didn’t get the offer? It may not have been about you. If it was about your interview performance, there are steps to take to improve it the next time you’re called for an interview.

There are often factors at work behind the scenes that you couldn’t know or do anything about. Here are a few things the employer could do rather than extend the offer:

Go with an internal candidate. Maybe they had someone in mind all along and posted the job as a formality. Or maybe a current employee came to light that they hadn’t considered.

Rethink the job description. They may have determined after the fact that they preferred someone with supervisory experience. Maybe a candidate brought a unique skill set that they didn’t consider when they created the post that now seems essential.

Put the search on hold. Many issues can drive the decision to postpone filling a position. They could have decided to spread the duties among several current employees instead of hiring. There could be a merger in the works or other business factors that makes this an unwise time to hire.

Reallocate budget. The funds that would have gone into paying your salary may have been reallocated elsewhere. Perhaps they lost a major contract that is putting them in a crunch. Maybe they jumped the gun on interviewing before the hire was fully approved.

Many unknown factors can go into whether or not you get the offer – some completely out of your control, such as an interviewer’s personal preferences or pet peeves.

Control what you can. Conduct a mental post-mortem on the interview to assess your performance.

• Did you research the company?
• Did you ask enough questions?
• Did you prepare stories and examples of your experience?
• Did you ask for the job?

Honestly consider how well you prepared and how you may have come across. Identify areas of improvement to work on for your next interview. Even if you don’t get the offer, any interview where you learn something is not a failure

Keep the door open. Consider a follow-up note to your interviewers. Make it brief and upbeat. Something along the lines of, “I’m sorry we won’t be working together. I enjoyed meeting you; perhaps we will work together in the future.” This is a good time to connect with them on LinkedIn.

Enlist expert help. At FootBridge Energy Services, our experienced recruiters help oil and gas industry professionals make a great impression on employers in the energy industry. For advice, or to connect with decision makers in your industry, contact us today.