Drive Your Career: Learn from Success

"My grandmother once told me, ‘Don`t let failure go to your heart and don’t let success go to your head.’" ― Will Smith

Maybe Will's wise grandmother was also a good recruiter. There are many days that a strong individual interviewing for a new role does not ultimately get the offer. One of the hardest parts of our job is letting down the individual who invested significant time into diligence on a new potential opportunity. It is typically a situation of "You did well, although they chose someone more aligned to their need."

The responses from individuals with this feedback typically questions, "Where did I fall short? What could I do to improve my chances next time?" Sometimes these answers are easy, and tactical, learning moments. For example, "The client had a tough time getting you to directly answer questions, he found you to veer off topic frequently". Or, "You didn't do any homework on the company, they found that a sign of disinterest." However, in most circumstances the candidate is not chosen for a specific role based on factors he/she cannot control. To understand the bigger answer to Why You Were Not Chosen involves intimately understanding the team, the requirements, and the other individuals skillsets and experiences that are being compared and contrasted to yours.

We have all heard the stories of the successful individuals who rise up from the most devastating circumstances, who overcome great odds, and who have failed, learned, and gone on to vast achievement. However, there is much research regarding learning from success being a stronger catalyst than failure, especially in circumstances where self-esteem is impacted. It does not feel good to fail, and if one's ego is hurt, he/she may miss the lesson entirely. When failure is removed from the self, people learn more from it. The more emotionally invested in the outcome, the harder it is to recognize the lesson and allow it to empower us.

Which brings me back to a missed career opportunity. If we naturally intertwine "who we are" and "what we do for a living", it becomes harder to separate the heart from the head when we are let down about a potential role. In most circumstances, you will not find out the answer to Why You Were Not Chosen. Rather than focus on what we cannot control, bring focus back to successes. Where was your greatest career experience to date, and what made it so? Do you have a strategic and tactical approach to your job search? Did you learn anything about this interview process about yourself and your interests that will allow you to orient towards other opportunities?

As we continue along our career path, the greatest impact comes when our passion aligns with our work. If exploring a new opportunity, and you are not made an offer, do not miss the opportunity to reflect on the process. Do not focus on what you lost, but what you gained. If you walk away having met new people who share your industry, have more experience interviewing, and learned something about yourself, you have confirmation of success.