Contract Rejection Reasons
Contract Rejection is difficult. Sometimes you are sure you have passed the interview and then you are told you haven’t got it.
Gobsmacked
Have you ever been for an interview where it seemed to be going very well? They even seemed to be on the verge of offering you the job on the spot. Then the agency calls you up the next day and tells you that you haven’t got the job or contract. You’ve been rejected?
Contract rejection comes as a bit of a shock doesn’t it?
Contract Rejection is a real blow to your self-esteem.
Rejection Reasons
All sorts of reasons start to race through your mind. Was your agency up to something?
Did they take a reference?
Did someone put in a bad word for you?
Also, did one of your previous bosses or clients put the boot in?
You just can’t believe it or understand it. Here are some of the reasons for contract rejection:-
1. Better Candidate
By far the most likely thing to have happened is that somebody walked in later that afternoon, or the next morning, for an interview, who was more perfect for the company than you were.
As an employer it used to happen fairly regularly that I would interview someone that I felt happy with and would be glad to take on.
Often he or she would be the one to get the job.
Sometimes though, somebody else would come along who was exactly who we wanted – even more so than the previous candidate
2. Agency Jiggerypokery
Although reason number one is by far the most likely, there is the possibility that the agent has sent two candidates along, and the client likes both of them.
In that situation the agent will sometimes steer the client towards the candidate that the agency can make the most money from
3. Someone Recognised You
It’s always possible that someone that you worked with in the past recognised you as you walked in for the interview.
It could be that you got into trouble at the other place, or the person who worked with you didn’t rate you.
They may have passed that information on.
Sacked from Contract
There’s also the possibility that the person who recognised you was sacked from the other place and doesn’t want someone who knows that starting at his or her new place.
I once lost a job because of that, that I was sure that I had.
I found out about it later.
The guy had been seen off the premises by the security guards where I worked with him before.
The thing that annoyed me about it is that I wouldn’t have said anything
4. Jumped the Gun
It happens fairly regularly that Project Managers interview before they’ve got budget permission to take anybody on.
Sometimes they never get that budget permission and it was only wishful thinking on their part, and sometimes they have to wait longer than they thought to get that permission.
Perhaps HR are still hoping to hire a permie rather than a contractor
5. Took a Reference
There’s also the possibility that the reason for contract rejection is because the agency, or the company, took a reference and it wasn’t a good one.
Agents often ask people that you worked with before for a reference rather than your previous clients or employers.
Agents have told me that often the best sources to ask will be other contractors.
They may have somebody at a site where you used to work, and they will simply have called them up to ask them what you were like.
Unlucky at Interview
If you are unlucky it may be someone that you didn’t get on with that they asked.
However, by far the most likely occurrence, in my experience, is that someone else came along for an interview after you did, that the company simply liked better.
This is what happens in 9 cases out of 10 of contract rejection, and possibly what happens in 99 cases out of 100.
