As of: March 9, 2024, 5:16 a.m
By: Laura Hindelang
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Did you receive a rejection after the interview?
This doesn't have to be your fault.
HR managers decide against applicants for various reasons.
Your application was well received.
You have been invited to an interview.
Maybe it went really well and you feel like it's a perfect fit - but you still end up being rejected.
Since the bad news is usually written in the form of a vague standard phrase (“Unfortunately, we have to inform you”), applicants can often only speculate about the reason behind the rejection.
It's not always the job candidate's fault.
Applicants often have no influence on the reasons that lead to rejection.
Job candidates want clarity in the event of a rejection after the interview
In a study by the software company
softgarden
, in which 1,130 applicants took part, 73 percent said that they would like to have comprehensible reasons for the rejection in the rejection letter.
On the other hand, this doesn't seem to be a priority.
Of 123 HR managers surveyed by
softgarden
, only 16 percent said that they considered providing understandable reasons to be very important.
The reasons for rejection are usually not communicated to applicants, even though many job candidates would like more detailed feedback.
© Pond5 Images/Imago
However, HR managers attach great importance to signaling “appreciation” to the candidate.
But that's rarely the case with them.
Many respondents in the study criticized the formal and interchangeable nature of the rejection and compared the letter with, among other things:
Letter from authorities
Automatically generated mass emails
Thank you notes after weddings
Cancellation of a flight
Rejection when looking for an apartment
Notification of exam results such as “poor school grades”
The disappointment after a rejection is usually great, but you shouldn't let it discourage you.
The real reasons why HR managers reject an application often have nothing to do with you personally, as reports from the job platform
Kununu
and the
ArbeitsABC
portal show
.
If you receive a rejection after the interview, it may be due to one of the following reasons:
1. Internal staffing
In some industries and professional fields, positions must be advertised publicly and external applicants must be invited for an interview - even if it is already clear that the position is being filled internally.
This is neither particularly fair nor transparent to the applicants.
Unfortunately, you have no influence on this.
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2. Poor preparation
However, this is where you can have the most influence.
Extensive preparation is one of the most important application tips.
Before the interview, you should think carefully about the company, the job and your own expectations of the position.
That shows interest and respect.
Find out comprehensive information about the company, for example about its values, number of employees or locations.
Also think about what arguments you can use to convince yourself in the conversation.
And prepare questions that you want to ask at the end.
If you are not sufficiently prepared, this is a reason for HR managers to issue rejections.
Because they may conclude that this means a lack of work ethic.
3. Lack of evidence of qualifications
You should be able to support the knowledge and skills that you have stated in your CV with certificates.
If the HR manager wants to see evidence during the interview and you don't have it ready, this puts you in an unpleasant situation.
You should request possible references and certificates in good time, then you can present your papers directly during the interview.
Don't miss out: You can find everything about jobs and careers in the regular career newsletter from our partner Merkur.de.
4. You don't fit into the team
This often has little to do with you personally and more to do with the fact that your personality traits may not match those of potential team members.
However, you should never pretend to be in a conversation, advises the job platform
Kununu
.
Otherwise, problems can arise at the latest in everyday work when you have to work with your new team.
If it doesn't fit humanly, you have little influence over it.
Your self-esteem shouldn't suffer either.
The right employer will see your character as an asset to the team.
5. Second place
A rejection feels particularly bitter if you left the conversation with a good feeling.
Even if you are one of HR managers' favorites, you could still face rejection.
It's often the little things that make the difference and persuade those responsible to choose another candidate.
So you might end up in second place.
Unfortunately, nothing can be changed about that.
However, if you have already made it to the shortlist, you can approach further applications and interviews with confidence.