Good assessment:didn't get job:no reply HR

LegacyUser

Hi,

I went in to quite a big organisation for a group assessment and interview not too long ago. I was very good and inclusive in the group assessment as I have read several books on how to succeed in this area, as well as using my own natural talents and interpersonal communication skills (making jokes, listening to the others etc). I was in quite a quiet group, by this I mean that nobody really wanted to talk, so I had to elicit responses and allow for silent moments in the event that someone wanted to add anything. To my dismay I was left to present our group findings as none wanted to do it.

I got a huge response from the crowd and panel of managers who were witnessing the entire thing. The process went on for two hours ( the assessment took a while, but the delivery was of 10 minutes only, during which nobody wanted to speak)

In the end, everyone on my group was shortlisted for interview, except me. It was surprising as I was the most assertive and gave the most input. I would not have responded to this interview if I knew they were looking for someone of timid nature/quite reservedness, as it is an outgoing role for outgoing people (or so it said at the time of application).

I emailed the HR department to ask for a copy of the notes used to determine my unsuitability for the role, and have since received no reply.

Can anyone advise me? I would really like to know why I was not successful. I have a strong career background and have been offered 90% of the jobs I have ever applied and been interviewed for, and thus am very dismayed right now.

Any input would be great.

Thank you.

Mrs OBumble

They aren't required to tell you why you didn't get the job, and even if they do, there's no guarantee it's the real reason.

If the others in the group were progressed, but you weren't, then you may have intimidated the management: it may be that they were looking for good followers, not good leaders. They may have found your performance entertaining on the day, but have shuddered at the thought of having to cope with it every day.

Chalk it up to experience and move on, no point stewing over it.

doolox

It is possible that you overdid it and came across as "too good" for the employers. Remember that most employers are only human and have the same set of insecurities, jealousies and feelings as the rest of us. If you overshine and put them in the shade they will not thank you for it and especially in these difficult times will dump you at the first available opportunity.

If there is a next time cut back a little on the talk, LOOK at the bosses or whoever is on the interview panel an try to guage their responses to your actions. A reasonably skilled person should be able to perceive if their interview panel is intimidated, doubtful, embarrased or whatever and tone down their input somewhat. It is a risky stratagem but if you were to encourage someone else to do the report or at least help you with it it would have shown better teamwork and skill at influencing others, probably what they wanted to see. They were probably scared you would take on and try to do everything in a team and freeze out your co-workers for your own gain.

tenchi-fan

Was it a callcentre role?

They might have thought you took too much control or came across as over experienced for the job, in which case you could cause them a major headache down the line (e.g. arguing with supervisors instead of just agreeing with them even if they are idiots)

Alternatively you might have grated on one of the recruiters (perhaps the line manager you would be working for) who ultimately had the final say.

pollypocket10

You can't know how well you did in the assessment because you don't know what they were scoring you on.

It's quiet possible they got an inkling of the cockiness that came across in your post and thats why you weren't called. If everyone else in the group was progressed and you weren't then maybe you should consider the possibility that you weren't actually that good.