Strange Reason for Job Rejection

[LargeD]

Hi All

I've just bern turned down for a job I recently interviewed for.

It was a progression from my current role, with a new company and I was complimented on being articulate, professional, smart and clearly very good at what I do. However I was refused due to "not having a spark" with one of the interviewers who probably asked me 2 or 3 questions in total, so I'm not sure how I could have really interacted with her more.

I'm feeling quite deflated, as it was a decent role and I was relatively confident it went well.

So, is this normal and does anyone have any advice for me? I generally interview well and previous to this have been offered very job I had interviewed for.

Edited by LargeD on Thursday 10th April 12:10

Edited by LargeD on Thursday 10th April 12:10

[STW2010]

Could be a number of things I suppose.

1. She just didn't like you
2. She didn't feel that you brown-nosed (respected) her enough for a petty reason
3. You were seen to be a different sort of person that they were after and so just didn't 'fit'. Basically, some poor managers just want a yes-man who just does as they're told; in this case you were seen to be more than that

Either way, they have been rather honest in a cryptic way. Did you speak to her in the same tone as the other interviewers? Anything that you can think of, no matter how minor?

[Lost soul]

STW2010 said:

Could be a number of things I suppose.

1. She just didn't like you
2. She didn't feel that you brown-nosed (respected) her enough for a petty reason
3. You were seen to be a different sort of person that they were after and so just didn't 'fit'. Basically, some poor managers just want a yes-man who just does as they're told; in this case you were seen to be more than that

Maybe she saw you as a threat think positive

[Engineer1]

If it was an internal role I'd guess they know who they want you aren't it but they had to interview you.

[dudleybloke]

are your plugs and HT leads ok?

[Hoofy]

Erm. Was it an interview or a date???

Next time I'm on a date I shall tell her she doesn't have the right experience or qualifications.

[extraT]

Hoofy said:

Erm. Was it an interview or a date???

Next time I'm on a date I shall ask her to prove she has the right experience or qualifications.

EFA

[LargeD]

New company so hopefully no way any reputation could have preceded me...

I think I answered her in the same tone and tried to ensure I made eye contact even when answering the 95% of questions she didn't ask

It's just quite deflating as I can't really see what I could improve on for the future as I'm at he stage where I need to move jobs.

I suppose its the adage of choosing the right boss as much as he role and she wasn't right.

[Hoofy]

extraT said:

Hoofy said:

Erm. Was it an interview or a date???

Next time I'm on a date I shall ask her to prove she has the right experience or qualifications.

EFA

I'm not sure whether I should feel relieved or suspect if she whips out a recent STD test result.

[Countdown]

LargeD said:

Hi All

I've just bern turned down for a job I recently interviewed for.

It was a progression from my current role, with a new company and I was complimented on being articulate, professional, smart and clearly very good at what I do. However I was refused due to "not having a spark" with one of the interviewers who probably asked me 2 or 3 questions in total, so I'm not sure how I could have really interacted with her more.

I'm feeling quite deflated, as it was a decent role and I was relatively confident it went well.

So, is this normal and does anyone have any advice for me? I generally interview well and previous to this have been offered very job I had interviewed for.

Edited by LargeD on Thursday 10th April 12:10

Edited by LargeD on Thursday 10th April 12:10

Don't be deflated - it happens to the best of us

The "lack of spark" comment is understandable (and common IME). Quite often you will get 2 or 3 candidates who are broadly equivalent in experience and skills, and give generally the right answers. The "spark", the thing that sets one of them apart, is the rapport they build with the interview panel. They'll answer the questions a bit more fully, or they'll be smiling a bit more, or they'll make the odd joke here or there. It's a personality that the interview panel like AND one that they think will fit in with the existing team dynamic.

Generally it's more of a subconscious rather than conscious thing but you can tell who is going to fit in the best. I think it's best summed up with the phrase "whose face fits the best".

[Hoofy]

Although it does mean you miss out on the candidate who is more nervous on the day. TBH I don't know why I care - I'll be the one dropping jokes and doing the rapport thing. Can't remember the last time I was nervous in an interview.

[LargeD]

Hoofy said:

Although it does mean you miss out on the candidate who is more nervous on the day. TBH I don't know why I care - I'll be the one dropping jokes and doing the rapport thing. Can't remember the last time I was nervous in an interview.

I'm generally a confident person and wasn't particularly nervous - I actually feel I had decent rapport with he guy asking the questions, it just seems he wasn't be decision maker which is strange since he did 95% of their talking.

I'm going to put it down to simply not being the right place and move on.

[Hoofy]

LargeD said:

I'm generally a confident person and wasn't particularly nervous - I actually feel I had decent rapport with he guy asking the questions, it just seems he wasn't be decision maker which is strange since he did 95% of their talking.

I'm going to put it down to simply not being the right place and move on.

Definitely. In any case, it's good practice for your next interview.

[Sogra]

My understanding of this "spark" type thing is a little bit more about us being animals and not something we can control.

The descision making part of the brain works on 2 levels the first because we have to make so many descisions makes very quick uninformed descisions but because most are unimportant it doesnt matter if they are wrong. The 2nd level deals with more important things and builds on the first but trying to support and reinforce the first descision even if that is not the best option.

So somebody see`s a micro expression and doesnt even know they have seen it, the brain thinks dont like / trust / want to mate with this person and then processes and trys to find a reason which cant be found so expresses it as no chemistry, no spark, looked a bit iffy etc

[MagneticMeerkat]

LargeD said:

Hoofy said:

Although it does mean you miss out on the candidate who is more nervous on the day. TBH I don't know why I care - I'll be the one dropping jokes and doing the rapport thing. Can't remember the last time I was nervous in an interview.

I'm generally a confident person and wasn't particularly nervous - I actually feel I had decent rapport with he guy asking the questions, it just seems he wasn't be decision maker which is strange since he did 95% of their talking.

I'm going to put it down to simply not being the right place and move on.

Maybe so, but an interview is a two way process. It's not simply a case of having to answer questions from a couple of people. It's a test of who you are; in that she wasn't asking you much ergo she wasn't particularly interested in you, perhaps.

Thus if she isn't interested then make her interested! Use eye contact and non-verbal communication to give the impression that you are paying as much attention to her as the other man. Direct some of your comments towards her, ask questions and offer an opportunity to take part in the process.

Maybe she was new to interviewing? Maybe she felt apprehensive about asking the wrong questions and you did nothing to put her at ease. Maybe she deliberately sat back to see if you would make the effort to involve her in one way or another. It's a test of personality as much as a chance to show off technical knowledge.

[LargeD]

MagneticMeerkat said:

LargeD said:

Hoofy said:

Although it does mean you miss out on the candidate who is more nervous on the day. TBH I don't know why I care - I'll be the one dropping jokes and doing the rapport thing. Can't remember the last time I was nervous in an interview.

I'm generally a confident person and wasn't particularly nervous - I actually feel I had decent rapport with he guy asking the questions, it just seems he wasn't be decision maker which is strange since he did 95% of their talking.

I'm going to put it down to simply not being the right place and move on.

Maybe so, but an interview is a two way process. It's not simply a case of having to answer questions from a couple of people. It's a test of who you are; in that she wasn't asking you much ergo she wasn't particularly interested in you, perhaps.

Thus if she isn't interested then make her interested! Use eye contact and non-verbal communication to give the impression that you are paying as much attention to her as the other man. Direct some of your comments towards her, ask questions and offer an opportunity to take part in the process.

Maybe she was new to interviewing? Maybe she felt apprehensive about asking the wrong questions and you did nothing to put her at ease. Maybe she deliberately sat back to see if you would make the effort to involve her in one way or another. It's a test of personality as much as a chance to show off technical knowledge.

With hindsight I agree, I think she must have been inexperienced and deferred to her senior, who I then engaged with. It's something I'd not encountered before, but hopefully won't catch me out again.

I also didn't ask her any questions specifically when I had the opportunity, which with hindsight was the perfect chance to engage her. It's another mistake I won't make again.

My issue with it all is if I were in her position and my issue was the "spark", I think I would have given it a second interview to see if it was a one off - from the other feedback they were impressed with me, it seems like a small issue to throw it away on, but I was more annoyed at myself for making it an issue.

[Hoofy]

Sounds like an annoying bh to work for/with. Sounds like one of those women who occasionally "throws something out there" to test you when you're dating. The sort of woman who should be seeing a shrink not a lover.

[mikebradford]

Just look at it positivley, they were not right for you.
I remember being turned down for a weekend shelf stacking job whilst at school. looking back wearing my best tie pin, may have undermined the managers position !
I still smile now that they employed some idiot from my school who got sacked shortly after for kicking cans of food round the warehouse.

Also missed out on a position after leaving uni, for what would have been my first real job. Interview was a piece of cake. Got to the last 2, and they choose the other person.
As it worked out it was for the best.
At interview stage they probably realised i wasnt right for such a regimented practice.

Was good bumping into one of the interviewers a few years later, knowing i owned one of their rival companies.

For a laugh, ring them up and leave a message for her saying your in a relationship and dont fancy a date.

Edited by mikebradford on Saturday 26th April 17:48

[Hoofy]

mikebradford said:

For a laugh, ring them up and leave a message for her saying your in a relationship and dont fancy a date.