So You Didn't Get the Job You Were Promised...

I was being groomed for a Director-level position by my leader. The position finally opened up and I interviewed for it but I didn't get it. I was told the position went to someone who spoke fluent Spanish, which I don't. I know the company is shifting their strategy to target a new market, but I'm still feeling really demotivated and a bit angry. Any tips?

I can understand why you would feel demotivated and angry. That is a perfectly reasonable response to getting passed up for a position you were being groomed for. Of course, you can't stay demotivated and angry for very long – you need to find a way to push forward quickly or those emotions will further derail your career. 

Here are some tips that could lend a little perspective and maybe even avoid a similar setback in the future.

You have to stay relevant

What makes you a perfect fit today could not be enough tomorrow. It is critical to keep your skills fresh and stay ahead of the curve. That advice should come as no surprise; companies and roles have always evolved, they just evolve much more rapidly now. The above example – you need to speak a foreign language in order to get the job – carries a social and political charge (especially in today's sociopolitical environment) that may be obfuscating that simple fact. So, let's use an example that carries little emotional weight.

Consider a company that has historically programmed a solution in the programming language "C". They are now promoting someone to lead development of a new solution, but the company has decided the new solution is going to be programmed in the programming language "Swift". Programming this new solution is a big deal and would be a great step up for you. There’s just one problem, you don’t know Swift. You may be “next in line” for a promotion, but if you don't know the language, you won't get the job. The above example is really no different.

Stay hungry and don't get complacent

When you’ve been groomed for a role, it is completely understandable that you would have some expectation that you would get the position. That's not unrealistic, but its not a strategic mindset to be in.

Believing – even when you’ve been told – that the position is already yours can lead to complacency and ultimately frustration and anger when you don't get the job. Those emotions can undermine your efficacy and make you a less attractive candidate for other opportunities. Additionally, while you are slow-rolling it because you’ve been told the position is yours, other people are building themselves up to get the same position. Their hunger and fight just might make them more attractive when it comes to the final decision.

Keep it all in perspective

Everything changes. Laws change, technologies change, cultures change, strategies change. As I said above, you have to keep your skills relevant or you will not be ready when that change happens. But that just may not be enough. You might do everything in your power to stay current and still not be ready when sudden change occurs.

Be honest with yourself. If you can attribute a setback to lack of preparation or relevant skills, learn from that and do better next time. If the setback was completely out of your control or even if the rate of change was simply too fast to keep up with, then de-personalize the situation and move on.