#86: 10 Real Reasons You Didn't Get the Job
If you’re tired of guessing what went wrong, start here.
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10 Real Reasons You Didn't Get the Job
Let’s play a maddening game called: “Why Didn’t I Get the Job?” The rules are simple. You apply, you get your hopes up, you survive a multi-round interview process that feels like a cross between auditioning for a Broadway show and competing on Survivor, and then you get a rejection email, clearly written by a bot, that makes you want to opt out of the job market for good.
You may be desperately racking your brain for where you went wrong. The truth? You probably didn’t lose out on the role because of anything you did.
Here are 10 real reasons you didn’t get the job:
1. The job wasn’t real to begin with.
It wasn’t quite a ghost post, but it wasn’t a fully realized position either. This was the dream of a hopeful hiring manager who got a little too excited. Or a hail mary pass before budget cuts. Or a fun experiment just to see “what talent is out there.” Whatever it was, I’m sorry. It was never going to happen.
2. They were using you for free consulting.
You thought you were being considered. In reality, you were giving away strategy, insights, and brilliant ideas for freeeeee. They picked your brain, asked “what would you do in this role?” and took notes. And now they’re implementing your ideas — without the burden of having to pay you. Classy.
3. You made too much money in your last job.
They asked about salary, and you told the truth. Not because you necessarily expected that they would pay that — but because you were trying to be transparent. Unfortunately, your honesty sent them spiraling. Suddenly, when they looked at you, they saw “expensive,” “hard to retain,” and “probably won’t stay long.” You may have been flexible, but they weren’t. Now they’re looking for someone who will work for half the pay and be grateful for it.
4. The hiring manager saw their future boss.
You were just a little too impressive. You asked the kinds of questions that signaled “leadership” — and they panicked. They pictured you in their role, maybe even doing it better. And instead of leaning into that, they hit eject. They’re not hiring a successor. They’re hiring a yes-person.
5. You forgot to connect on LinkedIn.
Yes, this is thing now according to recruiter Keva Dine. You didn’t follow the brand. You didn’t like the hiring manager’s “Thoughts on Leadership” post. You didn’t send that polite (or slightly thirsty?) connection request. And in today’s vibes-based hiring economy, that was enough to take you out of the running.
6. There were 1,432 applicants.
Half were bots. A quarter were unqualified. The rest were slight variations of you. It’s not that you weren’t great — it’s that the odds were redonkulous.
7. They already picked someone internal.
But they had to make it look fair. So they opened the role to the public and called it a search. You were never going to get it — but they needed you to make it legit. Congrats on being cast in their HR Kabuki performance. Standing ovation.
8. The CEO’s nephew also wanted the job.
And guess what? Bob got the job. Not because he’s better — just because he’s related. Nepo-babies aren’t just for Hollywood.
9. The hiring team got laid off.
This happens more frequently than you think. The person who loved your resume? Gone. The person who said you were a perfect fit? Also gone. Your dream job is now a ghost ship drifting somewhere between the “paused” and “archived” tab in their ATS. Nobody’s steering the boat anymore and your candidacy is lost at sea.
10. You were being spared.
One of my favorite mantras is “rejection is protection.” Maybe that team was toxic. Maybe the job was chaos. Maybe there is a better job waiting for you in the near future. You might not see it yet — but the universe might’ve just saved you from a not-right-for-you experience disguised as an exciting opportunity.
Worthy Time Wasters
Here are my recs to combat doom scrolling.
📺 North of North (Netflix) was a total standout. Set in a small Arctic town where everyone knows your business (and your breakup), it follows a young Inuk woman who makes a very public exit from her marriage. What follows is a messy, charming, and surprisingly funny journey of reinvention. There’s motherhood, romance, awkward co-parenting, a brand-new job, and enough small-town shenanigans to make you cringe and cheer in equal measure. It’s heartfelt, sharply written, and refreshingly not set in New York or LA.
The Pitt (Max)
Also keeping me entertained rn:
The Pitt (Max): This show destroyed me. It’s dark, brutal, and worth every ounce of hype (and yes, all those lawsuits). I had nightmares for days and covered my eyes for most of the graphic bits—of which there were many. But somehow, it’s also the darkest show I’ve ever actually enjoyed watching. As twisted as that sounds.
Hacks Season 4 (Max): The queens are back. Deborah Vance and Ava Daniels final showdown.
Towards Zero (Brit Box): I recently got a subscription to BritBox so I could drown myself in period murder mysteries. This Agatha Christie classic was a moody, murder-y closed room whodunnit that felt like sinking into a cup of tea laced with Veronal.
The Rehearsal Season 2 (Max): Nathan Fielder continues to make my brain hurt in the best way. It’s existential dread disguised as TV.
The Valley Season 2 (Peacock): Messy, messy, messy. Just the way I like my reality TV.
Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing (Nextflix): A tense, twisty watch about social media, manipulation, and moral gray zones for kidfluencers.
📚 Any Trope But You by Victoria Lavine fed my current appetite for romance novels as the ultimate form of escapism. Although I did listen to a really interesting episode of the
podcast about how historical romance can be a powerful medium for discussing modern-day social issues. This story is NOT that. And that’s OK too. Any Trope But You follows Margot Bradley, a bestselling romance author who secretly writes “Happily Never After” endings for her characters. When those cynical drafts leak, she’s canceled by her fans and retreats to a remote Alaskan resort to write a murder mystery. There, she meets Forrest Wakefield, a former cancer researcher turned lodge manager, and finds herself entangled in every romance trope she’s ever mocked—forced proximity, only one bed, grumpy/sunshine dynamics, and more. It’s a self-aware, trope-filled delight.All That Life Can Afford by Emily Everett is one for literary fiction lovers (and the wanderlusters). Set in London, it follows a young, working class American woman who feels like a fish out of water (in the true Edith Wharton sense) navigating love, ambition, and identity with the British upper crust. The writing is razor-sharp and quietly emotional—it captures that feeling of being in your twenties, untethered, and trying to carve a path in the world when the odds are not all in your favor.
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