Wow, Apparently I Got Rejected Purely Based on Chance

So basically, I had a phone interview with a F500 company last week and I thought I nailed it. I was so confident after that interview that I would get a second round, but then I got a rejection letter from the person who interviewed me. When I called HR to see what went wrong, they literally told me that I was very good, but because it was so close between a few applicants (aside from a few do not wants), it was basically a pick and choose game and I unfortunately got shafted. Wtf?! Does this seriously happen regularly or am I just extremely unlucky in this scenario? I'm seriously raging right now! Is it even possible to prevent this kind of stuff or is this where the networking/luck part comes into play?

26 Comments
 

Life is a game of chance. All you can do is put yourself in the right situation and hope chance favors you. Once you come to peace with this you will be much happier.

 

Well, the reason why I'm so pissed off is because this was one of the few legit companies that recruit on campus at my non-target and, since this wasn't an i-banking position, it means that I'm not good enough to get into the BBs/MBB that I applied to. This was my best shot at a halfway legit, junior summer finance position and I thought I prepared well for it, but I just got owned. That's why I'm so irate/stressed out right now.

 

In every aspect of success there is a degree of luck.

The answer to your question is 1) network 2) get involved 3) beef up your resume 4) repeat -happypantsmcgee WSO is not your personal search function.
 

Doesn't mean you aren't good enough dude. I know a kid from my non-target that got rejected by BB&T but accepted FT at Goldman. Shit happens man. Drive on.

If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 

Yeah dude. A rejection simply means not right now, not you suck. Keep in contact with these people and later down the road something might come about.

 

People get rejected all the time - sometimes people just don't like you. Don't take it personally and move on.

Search for boutiques that'll hire you and get you some IB experience, and apply full time. Make sure to network as much as possible.

 

Dude, first: I fking love the tags you put on this thread "rejection, FML, ffffffffffffuuuuuuuuu" hahaha, so great

Second: keep your head up. A similar thing happened to me a couple of years ago. My interviewer really liked me, but I got shafted due to "internal" reasons. However, I kept in touch and a few months later, that same interviewer initiated a long process that in the end would result in me getting an i-banking gig (at a different firm).

 
Best Response

For a number of a jobs, there are so many applicants that there's a huge degree of randomness involved, from resume selection to interviews. When I was an analyst, HR would hand us a huge stack of resumes and asked us to pick 30. Because there was plenty of other crap we had to get done, most people would throw out half the stack based on arbitrary criteria regardless of other qualifications just to cut down on time spent reading. Of course they're going to throw out those with a GPA lower than a cutoff point, but there were some weird filters too. Criteria I saw coworkers use to dismiss resumes: - Above a 3.9 GPA - In a fraternity - Too many clubs - stated SAT - member of student government, etc.

Don't worry about it and just move on.

 
NomadFor a number of a jobs, there are so many applicants that there's a huge degree of randomness involved, from resume selection to interviews. When I was an analyst, HR would hand us a huge stack of resumes and asked us to pick 30. Because there was plenty of other crap we had to get done, most people would throw out half the stack based on arbitrary criteria regardless of other qualifications just to cut down on time spent reading. Of course they're going to throw out those with a GPA lower than a cutoff point, but there were some weird filters too. Criteria I saw coworkers use to dismiss resumes: - Above a 3.9 GPA - In a fraternity - Too many clubs - stated SAT - member of student government, etc.

Don't worry about it and just move on.

That's so F'd up but strangely hilarious at the same time.

 

Wait, why would they DISMISS resumes if someone has above a 3.9 and is a member of student government? I thought GPA, ECs and work experience were main things, plus, I thought student gov would be considered a legit EC? I can understand them rejecting resumes if someone just joins a BS club and gets one of those dumb leadership positions where they don't do much, but student government seems like it would be a legit position, am I right?

NomadFor a number of a jobs, there are so many applicants that there's a huge degree of randomness involved, from resume selection to interviews. When I was an analyst, HR would hand us a huge stack of resumes and asked us to pick 30. Because there was plenty of other crap we had to get done, most people would throw out half the stack based on arbitrary criteria regardless of other qualifications just to cut down on time spent reading. Of course they're going to throw out those with a GPA lower than a cutoff point, but there were some weird filters too. Criteria I saw coworkers use to dismiss resumes: - Above a 3.9 GPA - In a fraternity - Too many clubs - stated SAT - member of student government, etc.

Don't worry about it and just move on.

Pretty women make us BUY beer. Ugly women make us DRINK beer.
 

Honestly applelover, that's a little bit of a pompous statement. You criticize the fact that he didn't go to a non-target as if that option is available to everyone. Contrary to your implicit belief, many successful people didn't go to the so-called "target" schools. While I love the discussions on this board and have found many helpful, the heavy dose of unwarranted pretension like yours definitely mitigates the enjoyment of reading. I hope you actually converse like a human being in the future.

Anal analyst, best of luck in the future. Sounds like a tough break, but like everyone is saying if you keep plugging away you'll find something. No job is the end all be all.

 

If its true they make their decisions based on chance, do you really want to be working for them anyway?

looking for that pick-me-up to power through an all-nighter?
 

That is rough man but ultimately you didn't do enough to stand out from the rest of the pack, especially if you are cut before an actual on-site interview. You can't really blame it on "luck" when you did just enough to be in the running. That being said, keep on plugging away with applications and networking. I went to a complete non-target and ended up with several great offers by virtue of applying everywhere, preparing properly for every interview, and networking my ass off. Phone interviews are mostly about fit, from dozens and dozens I have had, so don't get too down. You need to think of this as fishing, not hunting, coming from a non-target. The more lines you have out the more likely you will get a bite.

 

Ugh, you guys are right. No point crying over spilled milk. I guess the main positives to take away from this is that at least I got shortlisted and I interviewed well enough to have a chance. Gotta keep trying I guess.

 

not to shit on the OP here...

but i believe they say the same shit to the shitty candidates that never even got called up for an interview...

man up and move on.

 

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