1. The Winter, Wyman Companies,
www.winterwyman.com
Winter Wyman Career Advice

2. The Winter, Wyman Companies,
www.winterwyman.com
Bouncing Back from Bad
Interviews and Job Rejection
• Before reading this article, look around you – at the
people in your office, on the train or across the breakfast
table – and realize you all have something in common.
There isn’t a person alive who wasn’t picked last for a
team, asked someone to a dance who said no, didn’t get
cast in the play, or got every job they interviewed for.
And although rejection is sometimes hard to live through,
the lessons we learn from it can be invaluable and
position us for future success.
• Check out these 10 tips from Dave Sanford, Executive
Vice President of Client Services at the staffing firm
Winter, Wyman, on bouncing back from interview and
job rejections.

3. The Winter, Wyman Companies,
www.winterwyman.com
1. Realize it’s probably not
your fault.
• More often than not there isn’t one particular reason you
weren’t chosen to go on further in the interview process
or offered the job. Most hiring decisions are based on
subjective criteria. The hiring manager may have clicked
with another candidate quicker or was better able to
relate to someone else’s background.
• People make it to the interview round based on the skills
and experiences outlined in their resumes and then the
rapport established on phone interviews. Job offers are
often extended based on intangibles like personality,
enthusiasm and potential cultural fit and these are
determined on the subjective, educated opinion of the
hiring manager.

4. The Winter, Wyman Companies,
www.winterwyman.com
2. Feedback is your friend.
• It’s hard to ask for an honest and objective review of
your interview performance – especially from someone
you may have only met once. But in order to do better
the next time, you need to know if there are areas you
need to improve. Ask the people who interviewed you for
direct and honest feedback.
• Because it’s human nature to want to spare someone’s
feelings, your interviewer may not want to share anything
but generalities, especially if they think your reason for
asking is to challenge their opinion or ask for a second
opportunity. Realize and respect that their decision has
been made and make sure they know you are seeking
feedback for improvement purposes only.

5. The Winter, Wyman Companies,
www.winterwyman.com
3. Don’t get defensive.
• If you hear something you disagree with from
your feedback conversation, do not get
defensive and confrontational. Thank the
interviewer for their time, make note of their
comments and discuss them with a spouse or
trusted colleague or friend to see if there is any
merit.
• When we expose ourselves to the opinion of
others and disagree with their assessment, it’s
common to feel angry, bitter or defensive.
Overcome these emotions and concentrate on
the learning aspect of this opportunity.

6. The Winter, Wyman Companies,
www.winterwyman.com
4. Do something with bad
feedback.
• No one wants to hear that their portfolio looked sloppy;
they were perceived as stressed, hesitant or scattered;
or their technology skills were out-of-date. But just think
how each of these points can be corrected – if you know
about them!
• When bad feedback is revealed, be prepared to put a
plan in place to fix the holes in your game. Spend more
time and care putting together a targeted portfolio, arrive
at your interview early so you have time to relax and
gather your thoughts so you don’t appear stressed, or
take some refresher courses on the latest software
advances in your field. Put your friends and family on
your personal advisory team and bounce ideas off them
for improving yourself.

7. The Winter, Wyman Companies,
www.winterwyman.com
5. Expand your options and
opportunities.
• When one door closes, another opens. It might
sound like a cliché, but the lesson it teaches is
true: this opportunity lost is your chance to
investigate others.
• Try not to be finite in your job search. Think
broader about your career and look at related
jobs, consulting gigs and contract/temp
engagements. Or volunteer. Jobs and careers
that can make you happy or successful come in
all industries, functions and arrangements. Don’t
be afraid to try something new.

8. The Winter, Wyman Companies,
www.winterwyman.com
6. Don’t burn your bridges.
• When you find out you didn’t get the job,
be gracious, thank the company for the
opportunity, and offer to stay in touch.
Who’s to say the person they hired will
work out? Or that another position won’t
suddenly become available? By
conducting yourself in a professional
manner and not burning any bridges, you
have positioned yourself for another
opportunity within the company.

9. The Winter, Wyman Companies,
www.winterwyman.com
7. Stay positive.
• After job rejection, the only thing you can control
is your attitude. You can’t manage their hiring
process or even influence it in your favor any
more. But you can control your reaction to the
circumstances. Allow yourself that moment of
disappointment and then put on your best face
and be positive. This will help you move on a lot
more quickly, which is imperative to your job
search. No one wants to hire someone negative
or with a defeated attitude. Find a way to make
yourself feel better and embrace your new
opportunities with gusto.

10. The Winter, Wyman Companies,
www.winterwyman.com
8. Have a clean slate.
• Go into your next interview with a clean
slate and realize this company wants to
hire you otherwise you wouldn’t be there.
Leave your bad experience and rejection
at the door with your coat and umbrella.
Don’t let any negative energy accumulate
and do not bring up past rejections in your
new interviews. Let these interviewers
form their own opinions about the cheerful,
upbeat professional in front of them.

11. The Winter, Wyman Companies,
www.winterwyman.com
9. Don’t be afraid to share
the bad news
• Rejection is hard enough to deal with on our
own so the tendency is often to keep the news to
ourselves, either out of embarrassment or fear.
But as stated previously, we all have been
through it before and there really is nothing to be
ashamed of.
• By sharing your circumstances with others, you
will find support systems and people willing to
help. And more importantly, your network will
know you are still on the market and looking.

12. The Winter, Wyman Companies,
www.winterwyman.com
10. Don’t put all your eggs
in one basket.
• If you have been conducting an effective job
search, you will have generated multiple
opportunities and offers and this rejection won’t
matter much, if at all. Sure, you will have your
preferences, but never shoot down an offer or
turn down an interview for a viable opportunity
while interviewing or negotiating with other
companies. There are too many variables
outside your control to pass something new up.

13. The Winter, Wyman Companies,
www.winterwyman.com
• This article originally appeared on Boston.com and has been re-used here with the publisher’s
permission.