By Miller Chibomba
Let’s talk about interviews.
Actually, let’s talk about not getting the job.
Because there seems to be an unwritten rule on LinkedIn that we’re only allowed to post when we’ve been promoted, appointed, shortlisted, certified, awarded, recognized, or nominated.
What we don’t post about are the interviews that ended with:
“Thank you for your interest…”
The rest of that sentence usually isn’t good news.
Trust me, I know.
I’ve Lost Count
The number of interviews I’ve attended over the years?
Eish.
Let’s just say if interviews earned loyalty points, I’d be travelling first class by now.
There are roles I was absolutely convinced were mine.
I researched the organization.
Studied the annual reports.
Read the strategic plan.
Prepared examples.
Prepared backup examples.
Prepared additional examples in case they didn’t like the first examples.
I arrived early.
Answered confidently.
Even laughed at the panel’s jokes.
I walked out thinking:
“That went so well.”
Somewhere in my mind I was already updating my LinkedIn profile and imagining where my office desk would be.
A week later, reality would arrive.
Usually by email.
Sometimes by silence.
The silence is an interesting one.
At first you think:
“They’re still discussing.”
Then:
“Maybe HR is busy.”
Then:
“Perhaps they’re waiting for approval.”
Three months later you’re still checking your inbox like an abandoned lover waiting for closure.
My Relationship With Rejection
I’ve had so many interview outcomes over the years that I’ve experienced all five stages of grief in a single afternoon.
Denial:
They must have made a mistake.
Anger:
Who got the role?
Bargaining:
Maybe they’ll create a second position.
Acceptance:
Fine. Life goes on.
Then two days later:
Let me check if they’re advertising again.
The funny thing is that some of the jobs I didn’t get felt devastating at the time.
I remember thinking:
“This was the opportunity.”
“This was the breakthrough.”
“This was the role.”
Apparently it wasn’t.
And somehow life kept moving.
Looking Back
With hindsight, some of those rejections were blessings wearing very convincing disguises.
Some opportunities looked perfect on paper but would have taken me away from opportunities that came later.
Others highlighted skills I needed to develop.
Some simply reminded me that wanting something and being selected for something are two different things.
Painful lesson.
Helpful lesson.
But still painful.
The Interview Hall of Fame
I’ve often joked that if I ever write a book, one chapter will be called:
“Positions I Secretly Thought I Had Already Gotten.”
Another chapter might be:
“Thank You for Your Interest: A Collection of Life Lessons.”
Because if we’re honest, interviews teach us things success never can.
Humility.
Resilience.
Patience.
And occasionally how to answer a question you were absolutely certain would never come up.
The Truth Nobody Posts About
Behind many successful careers is a collection of unsuccessful applications.
The promotion you see today may have been preceded by years of rejection.
The executive you admire may have accumulated enough rejection emails to publish a monthly newsletter.
The entrepreneur you celebrate may have had ideas that failed before one worked.
We celebrate outcomes.
We rarely talk about the attempts.
So Here’s My Confession
I still apply for opportunities.
I still get excited about certain roles.
I still prepare extensively.
I still hope.
And yes, I still get disappointed when things don’t work out.
The difference is that I no longer see rejection as evidence that the journey isn’t working.
It’s part of the journey.
Sometimes the answer is “not now.”
Sometimes it’s “not here.”
Sometimes it’s “not this one.”
And occasionally life says:
“Trust me, I’ve got something else in mind.”
Final Reflection
If you’re currently recovering from a rejection email, a failed interview, or an opportunity that didn’t materialize, welcome.
Pull up a chair.
Many of us are sitting at the same table.
Not because we failed.
But because we’re still trying.
And sometimes that’s worth celebrating too.
After all, you miss 100% of the jobs you don’t apply for.
The ones you do apply for?
Well… let’s just say they make for much better stories later. 😄