Rejection is a harsh fact of life that all of us face, sometimes on a daily basis. Rejection of the job we did on our most recent project, rejection of our physical appearance, rejection in relationships, and rejection of our beliefs are the most common. But when it comes to rejection in the job market, there may be many reasons you were not selected for the position.

And it may not have anything to do with you.

Most people view the job interview as one of the most harrowing experiences in life. There are so many things to remember, and saying the wrong thing or showing the wrong body language can cost you the job. After the interview, you may receive an e-mail or telephone call saying the company selected someone else for the position. But why?

I've had numerous interviews where it's gone gangbusters, only to receive a phone call or e-mail saying I didn't get the job. Why? I mean, I said all the right things. They seem to like me, my skills, and my background. The conversation went very well, and they seemed highly impressed. So what's the deal? Here's a rundown of the Top 5 reasons the company chose someone else:

5 The employer was actually interviewing for a future position. Perhaps because the company doesn't have the budgeting for the position right now, or perhaps they're simply testing the waters to see how many potential candidates out there have the right skills for the job.

4 The job description was actually quite different from the job your interviewer described. One time I had a phone interview with a company who advertised for a technical writer position. They described it as "half technical writing, half proposal writing." It turned out that they really wanted a full-time proposal writer for technical subject matter. It was simply an internal miscommunication.

3 The position went unfilled. Sometimes the company will advertise for a position, interview several candidates, then for budgetary or other reasons cancel the position outright.

2 They filled the position internally. I've had this happen to me once, where they called me back and told me they filled the position with someone from within the company. Some companies have a preference in hiring internal candidates because their loyalty and dedication to the company has already been tested and proven. Plus, it's cheaper and less time-consuming for the employer.

1 They selected someone they thought was closer to the position in terms of essential skills. This is probably the number one reason for job rejection. It's not your fault; you may fit the job to a tee. But if you are lacking one or two skills the employer perceives as being important to the job, or if they decide during the interview process that they want a few other skills not mentioned in the job description, they may select the other person with those skills. Use this as a learning experience; if there are skills you can improve upon or new skills you can learn, by all means do so.

In summary, don't take it personally. Just because the employer didn't select you doesn't necessarily mean your interviewing or job skills are lacking. However, it's always a good idea to make sure your skills are up to date and relevant to the job. It's also a good idea to read up on interviewing skills, questions they ask you, and questions you should be asking them.

Learn more about this author, Daniel J. Gansle.
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