Job-Hunting Realities: What 'No' Really Means

Don't be demoralized when an employer turns you down. The reasons behind a rejection usually have more to do with the company than with you

By Jeff Schmitt

You've probably read plenty of job-hunting articles. And they're all the same.

A so-called expert will advise you to develop a plan, broaden your skills, and network. On résumés, they will counsel you to customize, use keywords, and quantify your accomplishments. If you land an interview, they will remind you to mind your body language, ask good questions, and convey confidence and enthusiasm.

This isn't one of those articles.

These are troubled times. We hear the horror stories daily. Unemployment swelling. Nest eggs dissolving. Prices rising. Businesses failing. Debts mounting. Workloads crushing. Politicians squawking. We live at the mercy of larger forces; anxious about the lives we know; wondering what will happen next. For most, this is not the time to switch companies…or lose a job. But many will be forced to, through no fault of their own.

Even worse, a job hunt is often a demeaning process. The rejection can leave you demoralized. You'll jump through countless hoops and operate on other people's terms. In the end, you'll still hear, "You're not quite what we're looking for" (if you hear anything at all).

In today's economy, a job hunt requires more time, sweat, and money than ever. You'll follow the fundamentals and still have little to show for it. At some point, it is only natural to ask yourself, "What's wrong with me?"

Maybe nothing. Maybe it's them.

So when your fruitless search fills you with angst and self-doubt, always remember the following truths about job hunting:

• Job Hunting is Unfair

The best person isn't always picked—and the playing field is rarely even. The cliché, "it's not what you know, but who you know" is extremely relevant.

There are so many ways to get passed over—and many reasons for it. A company may already have a candidate in mind, such as a proven internal applicant who represents little risk. They may hire someone who struck a chord, whose pop and polish masked his deficits. It could come down to a gut feeling. There could be political, quid pro quo considerations too.

Bottom line: Companies want to deal with people they know. They want to hire people they like and implicitly trust. Like all of us, their judgment is sometimes faulty. Don't view it as an indictment of you as a person.

• Decision-Makers Aren't Always on Target

Many times, screeners are far removed from the front lines. Don't assume they are aware of industry developments. Don't assume they study what works outside their company. Most important, don't assume they are well-versed in a position's daily responsibilities and requirements.

Even more, employers don't always apply the right formula in hiring decisions. They may apply a successful organization's methodology without taking underlying variables like stage of growth into account. They may mine the company history for specific traits and success stories, without examining how positions evolve. Worst of all, they may evaluate candidates based on the values they preach, not the ones they actually practice (or vice versa).

Sometimes, hiring efforts get off track. Often, it is the candidates themselves who expose flawed suppositions during the interview process. In the end, all you can do is research, network, and be yourself. The rest takes care of itself.

• You May Not Fit the Real Culture

Most companies want to keep things the way they are. They are creatures of habit; they crave stability and predictability. Sure, they attempt to interpret market forces and anticipate customer demands. Unfortunately, they rarely reshape established processes and hardened attitudes at the speed of change.

This tendency seeps into hiring. At ground zero, they still want to fit you into a neat pigeonhole. They want you to be one of them. That's why experienced mediocrity almost always trumps talent every time.

If you want to succeed, set your sights higher. Tap into those intangibles that make you special. And don't settle for just a job. Identify organizations that truly live up to their ideals, top-to-bottom. Seek out employers who stay steady and calm in uncertain times. Anything less, you are setting your sights too low.