Being rejected for a position
Applying for jobs is a numbers game. You send out resumes, cross your fingers, and hope something sticks. Sometimes it does. More often, it doesn’t.
You might get a polite rejection email. You might get ghosted completely. You might make it through three rounds of interviews only to vanish into the void.
That’s just how it is.
The silence that follows
Most companies won’t tell you anything at all. You submit your application, never hear back, and after a few weeks you realize they’ve moved on without you.
This isn’t some new phenomenon. It’s been happening for awhile. These days, companies get hundreds of applications per role. They simply don’t have time to respond to everyone.
It feels bad. It stings. But it’s not personal. They’re not rejecting you, they’re rejecting one version of you on paper among dozens or hundreds of others.
Ghosted after interviews? Yep, that happens too
Worse is when you make it through multiple rounds. You’ve invested hours of your time. You’ve prepared. You’ve answered technical questions, met the team, maybe even done a take-home project.
Then…nothing.
No email. No call. Your messages go unanswered.
It happens. Even to strong candidates.
Sometimes the hiring manager changed their mind. Maybe the role got frozen. Maybe another candidate accepted an offer off the record. Maybe someone important left the company.
Whatever the reason, you’re left wondering what went wrong.
There’s not much you can do about it
Let’s be clear: you can’t force someone to give you feedback. You can’t make them explain why they chose someone else.
Job hunting can be one-sided street. Companies have a lot of power in this relationship.
Follow-up emails can help, but only if done right. Send one polite message after a week of radio silence. Ask if they’ve made a decision. Keep it short. Don’t demand answers.
Then stop.
Sending repeated messages looks desperate and pushes you further down their list. You might as well save your energy for the next opportunity.
The rejection email that says nothing
If you’re lucky enough to get a response, it’ll probably be something like:
“We’ve decided to move forward with other candidates at this time.”
Translation: someone else got the job.
Companies don’t give real reasons for rejection. They can’t. Saying “you weren’t technical enough” or “your answers were vague” opens them up to nothing but trouble. You weren’t hired, it’s that simple. Arguing with the recruiter isn’t going to help. It wastes their time, and importantly, it wastes your time.
There are legal considerations, as well. Candidates might argue they were discriminated against. Lawsuits happen. HR departments know this.
So they keep it vague. It’s safer that way.
Arguing with rejection is pointless
Some candidates fire back after getting rejected. They’ll reply-all to the rejection email asking why they weren’t chosen. They’ll challenge the decision. They’ll insist they were the better fit.
Don’t be that person.
You won’t change their mind. You won’t get hired. You’ll only make yourself look bad. That hiring manager might remember your name when another role opens up - but not in a good way.
The hiring process is already stressful for everyone. Burning bridges won’t help you land the next job.
It stinks, but don’t take it personally
Getting rejected feels like a punch in the gut. It hits your confidence. You start questioning your skills, your experience, even your career path.
But here’s the truth: rejection rarely has anything to do with you as a person.
Maybe another candidate had more specific experience. Maybe the hiring manager preferred someone with different communication style. Maybe the company needed someone who could start immediately and you couldn’t.
There are a dozen factors you’ll never know about.
You can’t control who gets hired. You can control how you respond. Keep applying. Keep interviewing. Keep improving.
The right role will come along. Maybe not today. Maybe not next week. But eventually.
Until then, don’t sweat the rejections.
