What I Learned From Not Getting Hired For A Job
Transform rejection into growth: Learn from my experience and discover how to turn job setbacks into valuable life lessons.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- My Job Application
- My Rejection
- How I Analyzed My Feedback
- Changing My Perspective
- Lessons Learned
- Making Changes
- My Advice To You
- Conclusion
Introduction
Not getting hired for a job can be challenging, but it can also be an opportunity to learn and grow. In this intimate and personal blog, I will share my experience of not getting hired for a Salesforce Technical Architect position at an Enterprise Consulting Firm based in Virginia and the lessons I’ve learned from it.
My Job Application
I was motivated to apply for this job because of the chance to work on large-scale enterprise solutions and government contracts and the opportunity to travel. The application process involved:
- A phone screen.
- A culture-fit phone interview.
- A take-home technical assignment.
- An onsite interview in Virginia.
During the onsite interview, after meeting with all team members, my last discussion was with the Director who ran the Architecture Practice for the Consulting Firm.
My Rejection
In the first few rounds, I felt very confident. However, my confidence hit during the final discussion with the Director. The interviewer asked me to come up with an enterprise design to sync Salesforce lead/contact data with any cloud service, query the data, produce a list of leads/contacts who had a birthday each day, and send an email in bulk each day, wishing each lead/contact a happy birthday. My approach was very Salesforce-heavy, from a data perspective, and only engaged a cloud-based enterprise component for sending the email. Based on my interviewer’s facial expressions, my approach and solution differed from what he sought.
I received feedback that I was a tremendous cultural fit but needed more technical depth in enterprise and service-oriented architecture (SOA).
How I Analyzed My Feedback
My view of enterprise architecture and solution design needed to be more significant. My lack of understanding of cloud solutions like Google Cloud, Azure, and AWS limited my thinking to only what Salesforce architecture could deliver. I realized there were better, more efficient, and more cost-effective ways to manipulate Salesforce data in Google Cloud using BigQuery or AWS Athena that simplified my design instead of relying on Salesforce Apex and dealing with governor limits.
Changing My Perspective
This experience had a profound impact on me in that it taught me that I should always think on a much larger scale than I am used to and continually seek out the latest in technology to stay current and marketable. It made me realize the importance of adapting and growing my understanding and hands-on experience with new technologies.
Lessons Learned
Not getting hired taught me several valuable lessons: a) Approach any new role in exceeding expectations, showcasing your leadership ability. b) Find a unique gap in the company, role, or process that you have an exciting approach to solving, allowing you to stand out among applicants. c) Think beyond the title and compensation. Be prepared to discuss a 3–5 year plan on what you expect to get out of the role for your career.
Making Changes
Since this experience, I have made several changes:
- I regularly seek out new tech to learn and add to my arsenal.
- I take a hands-on approach by creating projects to tie concepts I know with new tech, working through solving a specific problem while learning a new platform.
- I chronicle my experiences in writing through my blog, sharing examples of hands-on projects involving Salesforce integrated with Twilio, MuleSoft, GCP, and AWS, among others.
My Articles (A Few)
My Advice to You
To those going through a similar situation, remember that not getting a particular role doesn’t define your entire career; your unique experience has a home; you just haven’t found it yet. b) Use the rejection as an opportunity to self-reflect on your shortcomings and learn for the next role. Knowing your weaknesses is empowering and helps you understand what the market needs and where you should become proficient at securing the roles you seek. c) Apply for roles even if you don’t think you’re fully qualified. You could possess a unique set of skills that the job description doesn’t highlight but the hiring manager is looking for.
Conclusion
In conclusion, not getting hired for a job can be a valuable learning experience if approached with the right mindset. By analyzing the situation, changing perspectives, learning lessons, and making changes, we can turn rejection into an opportunity for growth and self-improvement. Embrace the lessons from missed opportunities and use them to strengthen your skills and adapt to the ever-evolving job market.
