Help me understand why I did not get an offer? [closed]

manpreet Best Answer 2 years ago

I applied for a job, passed all 5 interviews and the 10-hour technical written test. I was asked for references and background check. The team lead even told me I will be hired in the last interview!

Then two days after that I got:

I want to take the time to thank you for your patience during our process. We were really impressed with the mix of skills and experience you brought to the table and the team really enjoyed meeting and speaking with you. At this point, we have decided to move forward with another candidate whose skills we feel more closely match the department’s needs at this time. This was a difficult decision and we understand that it must be disappointing for you, having invested so much time and energy in the selection process.

That said, we recognize your unique skillset may be one that we need down the road. We’d love to keep the door open and reach out to you in future if a position more suited to your specific blend of knowledge and experience becomes available. We obviously can’t make any commitments with respect to timing, and we completely understand that you’re actively looking for work right now and so may be unavailable at such time we get in touch.

We wish you the best of luck in developing your career and look forward to discussing new opportunities in future if you remain interested!

Best regards,

I have better qualifications and more experience than the team lead, but during the interview I never felt like he was not happy about that. Two out of the five interviews were with the team lead, in which he was alone. I have more skills than what the position asked for.

But then, if these facts are the reason so why ask me to go through 5 interviews and tests. Just reject me from the beginning.

Of course, I have zero criminal record and my references are outstanding for that position.

I want to understand, as I never reached that stage in hiring process and then not get an offer.

UPDATE: I am not shocked that I was rejected, I am shocked that I was rejected after I reached this stage. But I am OK in general, no hard feelings. I am trying to understand if I did something wrong at this last point of the hiring process so I can avoid doing that in the future. I would expect to be turned down early if I had raised any red flag.

Here is my reply to them:

I am very sorry to hear that. I was looking forward to that opportunity. However, I wish your company the best with the other candidate.

Please, pass along my thanks to the team.

Thanks

manpreet 2 years ago

I concur with the answer posted by Joe Strazzere, but I would like to also add a couple of observations.

There is such a thing as being overqualified for a position, and this may possibly have occurred here. You said it yourself when you stated: " I have more skills than what the position wanted!"

There is also another option, which falls less on your talents and skills, and more on your attitude and personality.

The attitude/personality you express in your question lean towards that of someone who may not be the best team player. The following quote is one that more or less raises a red flag when it comes to personality: "FACTS I have more qualifications and experience than the team lead but during the interview I never felt he is not happy about that." If you come across as seeing yourself as superior to others in an interview, things may not go the way you want them to regardless of what skills or experience you have.

Also, your excessive use of exclamation points has you coming across as taking personal offense to being turned down for this job.

manpreet 2 years ago

I concur with the answer posted by Joe Strazzere, but I would like to also add a couple of observations.

There is such a thing as being overqualified for a position, and this may possibly have occurred here. You said it yourself when you stated: " I have more skills than what the position wanted!"

There is also another option, which falls less on your talents and skills, and more on your attitude and personality.

The attitude/personality you express in your question lean towards that of someone who may not be the best team player. The following quote is one that more or less raises a red flag when it comes to personality: "FACTS I have more qualifications and experience than the team lead but during the interview I never felt he is not happy about that." If you come across as seeing yourself as superior to others in an interview, things may not go the way you want them to regardless of what skills or experience you have.

Also, your excessive use of exclamation points has you coming across as taking personal offense to being turned down for this job.