You weren’t rejected because you were unqualified, you were rejected because someone else was BETTER qualified.
You weren’t turned down because you lacked qualifications; you were turned down because someone else was MORE qualified.
I frequently come across posts on subs like r/recruitinghell and r/LinkedInLunatics where people blame HR and recruiters for their rejections. Many candidates apply for jobs or go through interviews and then express frustration when they don’t get the position, as if their experience wasn’t acknowledged.
In my experience, jobs often receive hundreds of applications, many from highly qualified candidates. We can’t hire everyone, and often the decision comes down to minor differences that tip the scales in favor of another candidate.
So, remember, it’s not that you weren’t qualified; it’s just that someone else had a stronger qualification profile.
And regarding the notion that “HR or recruiters rejected me; they must not know what they’re doing,” it’s important to understand that these professionals are often just relaying decisions made by the hiring team. Besides narrowing down candidates for the managers to evaluate, the feedback I provide is based entirely on the hiring team’s conclusions. While I might conduct initial interviews, my notes inform the hiring team’s decisions. I don’t make the final call.
I often find myself defending recruiters and HR whenever I see comments like this on Reddit, but it feels like I’m just asking for a negative reaction.
I don’t have a specific point with this post other than to see if others have experienced similar frustrations (and to vent a bit).
