What if your interview goes well and yet the company turns you down? Can you still go back to them later and try again for another job at the same place? Or even that exact same job if it gets reposted??
Of course, the interview may not have gone as well as you think. So maybe even thinking about trying again at some point is a waste of your time. The thing is, there’s really no way to know for sure unless you can get some feedback from your interviewer. But there are some clues that may help:
⇒ How To Tell If an Interview Goes Well
My take on maybe wasting your time? So what! Job hunt is about reaching beyond the obvious to get a job you want if at all possible. I got my share of NOs but also some unexpected and oh so welcome YES replies. Don’t make the mistake of saying no to yourself without even trying!
Sometimes you can get the same job
Even though the odds are slim, sometimes the person they offer the job to initially winds up changing their mind and accepting a different job. Or, after a short time, turns out not to be a good fit. That happened to me once.
Although I had been rejected, they remembered me favorably from the interview. Plus they remembered a special piece I had researched and written (my own idea) that described one of their programs. They contacted me a few weeks after hiring someone who was terrible at the job.
So at the very least it’s worth staying in touch if you had a good feeling from the interview. And sending a thank you note, even after being rejected, can help keep you in their minds even if a company doesn’t hire you.
⇒ Sample Job Rejection Thank You Note
Trying again if company turns you down
So what about your chances of getting a different job later on after being rejected? If a company turns you down, might they still be open to hiring you at some point? Maybe yes and maybe no. Depends on the type of company, the jobs they have, and how well you connected.
Again, if they actually liked you then this is a distinct possibility. Especially if you felt a connection to at least one of your interviewers. When sending that person an individual thank you note, you might also ask if it’s ok to stay in touch. If they respond positively, that will give you a clue.
Could be worth the extra effort
Now I want to be careful about suggesting this, because companies don’t appreciate being bombarded by a candidate, especially one they they didn’t like. But someone I know was determined to work for a major entertainment company that had turned him down.
And so he pursued every job opening there that he could possibly qualify for. And he politely touched base with some of the people he had met. Plus he found a networking contact (you can try LinkedIn, college alumni association, organizations you belong to) and they put in a good word.
He got the job … after FIVE rejections. And years later was a well-respected VP with the company that turned him down many times. Pleasantly aggressive in his persistence won the day for him.
And if it doesn’t work, as I said before … so what? Better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all. Of course best of all is to get the offer!
More posts to help
Good Interview. Still No Response.
10 Impressions You Leave After an Interview
12 Bits of “Insider” Info For Beginning a New Job Search
I Don’t Meet Job Requirements. Should I Still Try?
Is Your Online Reputation Hurting Your Job Search?
Will Volunteering During Job Search Get You a Job?
What Is an Elevator Pitch for Job Search?
Is Job Search Fear Stopping You From Even Looking?
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