Coming second in a recruitment process is tough.

To get down to the final two is an accomplishment, but it rarely feels like that when the decision doesn’t go your way.

I had a call recently with someone who had been the number two candidate in two separate recruitment processes.

He said that he had received great feedback in both cases, and was told he had delivered really strong interviews.

But still, he didn’t get the outcome they were hoping for.
He was understandably deflated, and I get it.

It’s a challenging part of our role to share feedback that you know is not what the individual wants to hear.

They have done their interview prep well, given it their best shot, and were fully invested in the recruitment process.

They are hoping for a positive outcome and instead the feedback we are sharing goes like:

• “It was such a tight call.”
• “You couldn’t have done any more.”
• “It could have gone either way.”

And while all of that might be true, it’s not much consolation in that moment.

It’s a tricky space to be in as a candidate, so close, yet not quite enough.

But I always encourage people to take the positives and the learnings from the process.

• Getting that far shows you’re operating at the right level.
• The right role is out there, and you’re clearly ready for it.

So take a beat, reset, and go again.

Your time is coming.

Your perspective matters; feel free to reach out: 

Talent Partners | LinkedIn | stephen@talentpartners.ie