Myth: The job candidate who flat out “nails” the interview gets the job.

Truth: The decision about who gets the job is, well, complicated.

For all the years that I was a senior manager at a Fortune 500, every time I didn’t select a candidate who thought they had the “right stuff,” I was questioned. Actually grilled!

Filling job vacancies isn’t as simple as having an opening, interviewing candidates, and picking one. It would be nice if all business decision-making was linear, but it’s not.

It’s not always about you!

A lot goes on behind the scenes in the hiring process and it’s different in every organization. It’s not for me to judge the ethics or the efficacy of those processes.

It’s just important that, as candidates, we understand that these are business decisions, not personal ones.

Typical reasons why candidates aren’t selected

The hiring manager knew the person s/he wanted from the outset.

Many companies have a mandated hiring process whenever there’s a vacancy. The preferred candidate participates in the process along with others, although his/her selection may be a foregone conclusion.

That may sound unfair, but if you are a competing candidate, it still gives you a platform for showing your stuff. How you perform will be remembered and can one day work in your favor.

The company wants to develop a high potential employee or expand diversity.

All companies need to build a bench so they can fill sensitive positions down the road. They look for candidates who have the potential to take on increasing responsibilities or need to broaden their company knowledge.

For those companies that have been slow to add diversity to their workforce and to their management ranks, vacancies are an opportunity to remedy that. In both cases, these are business best practice decisions.

Once again, by being in the candidate pool, you gain important visibility.

You don’t complement the “chemistry” of the hiring manager’s work group.

The ability of people to work effectively together is important to every hiring manager. Any time a new person is added to the mix, the “chemistry” of the group changes. You may have great capabilities, but if your work style and personality don’t “fit” well with that bunch, then you will likely not get selected.

The hiring manager doesn’t feel comfortable about supervising you.

This is a very personal thing. Hiring managers don’t get many perks. The one they do get is to hire people who will make their work life more pleasant and easier. So if there are two equally qualified candidates, they will likely say to themselves, “When I come to work on a bad day, which one of these two people do I want to deal with?” That will be the tie breaker.

Why this is so hard to swallow.

If these realities are frustrating to you, I understand. Remember, for you the hiring process is linear. For the business the process may be linear, but the decision isn’t.

The only piece of the hiring process that you control is yourself.

Because there are so many variables contributing to the choice, why over-stress yourself in the process? It’s business. So, don’t take it personally. Your best approach while job hunting is to:

• Be prepared
• Present yourself well
• Have confidence
• Keep at it

In time the right position under the right company circumstances will present itself, and you will be well-positioned to accept it. In the meantime, throw off your frustration and concentrate on becoming a candidate to be reckoned with!