YOU had, you think, prepared very well for the crucial interview.

You are likely

to say it to yourself and others, I left no stone unturned. Yet, the outcome was
disappointing. You start cursing your luck or you may, in a fit of bad temper, deb
unk those who decided against your selection. You begin to nurse a grudge. This
will eventually further damage your future prospects. It is better to be rationa
l, objective, look for soft spots and convert them into plus points. That s the on
ly way from rejection to selection.
Lots of factors can prevent you from getting a job. Many of them you have contro
l over, while others you don t. By controlling those you can and thinking reasonab
ly
about those you can t, your chances of taking a healthy perspective toward this wh
ole job-research issue are better.
Rejection is part of the process; however, by keeping your self-esteem and not r
ejecting yourself, your opportunity for success in the next interview is that mu
ch greater.
Why do you (applicant) get only a stony silence from prospective employers after
your interview?
Lack of proper preparation. This usually means misdirection or lopsided emphasis
on non-essentials. Many aspirants, for example, plunge into the re-digging of t
he academic subjects they had studied in college or university. This is innocenc
e (read ignorance)!
Those facing you at the interview have already formed a fair idea of your academ
ic status and calibre. They have the record sheets with them. They have the degr
ee certificates, too. Ditto your other achievements and their record.
They have probably conducted their own entrance, too. All in all, it means that
they have a full picture of what you have achieved in the academic and theoretic
al sphere of your study.
Then, why this interview? You may ask. It is simple. They want to see the man behind
the academic facade!
I illustrate this point from the life of a great literary figure Dr Samuel Johnson
. It was said of him that he made a sad spectacle in society. The reference was to
his ugly physical appearance.
But anybody who met him and had a few minutes of conversation with him found that
he was the most brilliant, wittiest conversationalist of his time. Those who cam
e to scoff remained to listen to him. Such is the magic and power of personality
. And this comes out in interview.
A girl candidate who had a string of degrees was asked the meaning of the phrase
literary coxcomb . She flustered and fired offensive replies thinking that it was
a hit at her academic status. Nothing of the sort. It was a question rather aime
d at her area of interest and she could have cashed in on the opportunity.
The conclusion drawn was that the thick layer of academic had not permitted refi
nement of culture to seep into her mind. It was all on the surface. It also reve
aled that the candidate was highly conceited and the poise and confidence she ex
uded was shallow.
Thirdly, she unwittingly revealed that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
Her approach was raw, unpolished. Because a girl who has several degrees in her
bag is supposed to have rubbed into her personality some of what she has studied
. It is like perfume. It naturally gets on to your skin or garment.
Many aspirants show scholarly pose, concealing their real personality. They wrong
ly think that the more learned you are, the more unkempt your personality. This
is negative attribute and no amount of scholarly sophistication can compensate for
it.
So, if you have been rejected, tell yourself that there are reasons for it, eman
ating mostly from your own self. Take stock of yourself. Groom yourself well. Th
ere is always another chance somewhere.
The chance will be lost again if the candidate fumbles and fails on some vital p
oints. The candidate should bear in mind that the prospective employer is a prof
essional who neither gives nor takes concessions. He is somewhat of a perfection
ist
with exacting standards. He looks upon his future employee in long-range as he i
s going to work with him for years.
Be sure you are communicating your positive, marketable points to him or her thr
ough the interview. We all have marketable characteristics or experiences, and b
efore the interview ends the interviewer should hear about them.