If you've found yourself hopeful about getting a job because of positive feedback and being invited back for round after round of interviews only to be told - sometimes a month after applying - that you weren't selected for the position you thought you surely secured, you are not alone.
In fact, TikToker Sho Dewan revealed this is a frequent occurrence, but often times the result has nothing to do with your interviewing skills or qualifications.
In response to a video posted by a user who was frustrated about not getting a job after "4 rounds of interviews that lasted 6 weeks," Dewan (@workhap) shed some light on this deflating recurrence.
Dewan, a recruiter and HR coach who dedicates his TikTok to "helping you get hired and paid," explained there are two very common reasons that would cause a qualified applicant to lose out on a job after a long and grueling yet deceptively positive process.
He started:
"Those are the worst, but let me tell you the real reason you didn’t get the job."
"It doesn’t have to do with your performance in interviews, not your skills, not your experience.”
Dewan went on to detail that often times, the company eventually fills the position internally, either through a promotion or a lateral move, even though they may have had intentions of recruiting outside the company.
The second reason Dewan acknowledged was that the hiring team simply changed course and realized they were looking for something different than initially thought.
“... While they’re going through interviews, they realize, ‘Oh, you know what? We’re actually looking for this kind of candidate instead.’”
“So that’s why you got positive reviews, but they just need somebody else.”
You can watch the TikTok below.
Viewers of the video acknowledged their shared experiences.
@workhap/TikTok
@workhap/TikTok
@workhap/TikTok
@workhap/TikTok
@workhap/TikTok
A few shared that a third interview is a dealbreaker for them.
@workhap/TikTok
@workhap/TikTok
And several expressed they, too, lost out to an internal hire, but some noted that speaks highly of the company.
@workhap/TikTok
@workhap/TikTok
Rejection is never easy, but hopefully Dewan's video at least clears up some confusion and softens the blow a bit.
@hebagowayed/Bluesky
@waitmanwbeorn/X
@eighthoften/Bluesky 
@antigonesdream/Bluesky 
A1