You received a form letter from the Human Resource Department that gives you bad news about the job you applied for and perhaps also interviewed for. The letter usually reads. “Thank you for applying/interviewing with Acme Tools." (There is some fluff about about your excellent skills.) But the letter concludes, "We regret to inform you that another  candidate has been selected for the position. We wish you every success in your continuing job search."

A normal reaction would be a bit of anger at the people who missed an opportunity to turn their company around by hiring you.  Hopefully, you have thick skin from other, similar, letters and you focus on the next job opportunity. You are not the first person to rip the letter into several smaller pieces. Most people throw these letters away. However, if you still believe that Acme Tools is a worthwhile place, you might consider the following actions (Warning: these actions will take courage on your part):

• Call the person who interviewed you and thank him/her for the letter. You should mention that many employers usually don’t take the time to inform rejected applicants.  Be sure to let him or her know that you are still interviewing and would appreciate any feedback they have on how you did during the interview. Ask if there are certain things you need to work on so that you will do better in an interview.
• Ask if there are special skills or knowledge can you attain in order to be better prepared for the field you want to join.  
• Let him/her know that should another position become available, you would like to be considered for it. It is possible that the person they hired won't work out. It is important to help them remember you
• Ask him/her if he/she knows of another manager who may have an open position. Ask if he/she can they pass along your resume for consideration.
• If the discussion went well, send a short "Follow-up to rejection” thank you letter.

Here is an example of what you might want to say in your letter;

Dear Mr. Brown:

Thank you again for the opportunity to interview for the Project Manager position. I enjoyed meeting with you and discussing Acme’s goals to add offices in the Pacific Northeast region. My favorite part of the country!

Although, I was not selected for the job, I enjoyed our conversation and remain very interested in working for you.  Please keep me in mind should another position become available.  I would like to be part of your team in the future!

Thank you for your time and consideration.  I am enclosing another copy of my resume for your reference.  

Sincerely,

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1. Do Your Research
2. Practice Interviewing
3. Prepare an Interview Folder
4. Your Personal Dress Code
5. Planning Your Time To Get There
6. During The Interview
7. Exiting Gracefully
8. Post-interview Follow up

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