“You’re great, but it’s not what we need at this moment, So we’ve decided to pass.”

Oops…

Denial. Anger. Bargaining. Isn’t it discouraging to hear such replies from job interviewers, especially if you are sure you’ve done everything the best way possible? Okay, someone could better suit that job, and yet, it’s so bittersweet to know someone else has got your dream job.

And you’ve failed. Again!

But you know what? It’s not true. You haven’t failed; you aren’t miserable; you’ve learned a lesson. And now you know how to handle yourself next time. 

Below are five lessons you can learn from your failed job interviews and finally get your dream job.

1) Don’t rely on your resume

The common mistake of most yesterday students is they mention every course, summer job, and other achievements in their resume and then desperately try to remember what they wrote there when communicating with a recruiter.

Yes, your resume matters, but it’s not the only thing an employer cares about when interviewing you. Otherwise, they wouldn’t organize a job interview, agree?

Douglas Williams, a career strategist and creative content writer at EasyEssay suggests forgetting about your resume for a while. Recruiters have seen it already, and that’s why you are here. Now they want to see a person behind that resume and cover letter. Brokenly trying to remember what you wrote there, you’ll sound like a piece of paper; that’s not what you want, right?

The lesson: during a job interview, be more than your resume.

2) Turn your weaknesses into strengths

Some old-school recruiters still practice one question that makes job candidates’ brains freeze:

“What is your main weakness?” they ask. And you stumble, don’t know what to answer, so it would be true but wouldn’t sound like a flaw.

Please don’t hurry up to reply that you don’t have any weaknesses. First, you are not Superman (he is also imperfect, by the way). Second, it’s also a skill to acknowledge your drawbacks and understand what you can do to turn them into your strengths. It’s about emotional intelligence, which is a critical skill to have for success. A job interview is your chance to demonstrate you have it.

The lesson: be honest and sincere.

3) Ask questions

Some candidates are super shy to ask questions during job interviews. They wait for questions from recruiters, read and try to remember online articles on how to answer, and consider an interview nothing but another exam to pass and get A+.

But a job interview isn’t an interrogation but communication. It’s okay to show interest in the company, ask questions about the position, and doubt if this place suits your career expectations and needs. 

Forget that you are an interviewee. Remember that it’s not only them but you who decide whether you fit each other.

The lesson: don’t be afraid of asking questions during job interviews.

4) Forget you’re perfect

It’s heartbreaking to get rejections, but each failed job interview is your chance to realize what knowledge or skills you still need to acquire for your future success.

There’s no limit to perfection, as they say. During an interview, you see what employers look for in candidates, and you can analyze what you miss. Also, you can always ask for feedback: Even when rejected, recruiters can provide some insights on what went wrong and what you need to pay attention to prevent the same mistakes in the future.

The lesson: don’t moan but analyze failed interviews and learn from mistakes.

5) Stop pretending

Let’s face it: We all want to look better during a job interview, willing to make a positive impression and convince the employer that we are their perfect match. There’s nothing wrong with that unless you pretend to be who you believe the company wants you to be.

As Michael Bloomberg stated at the Democratic National Convention in 2016, “the richest thing about Donald Trump is his hypocrisy.” You aren’t Trump – and you don’t have to be – but it would help to forget your hypocrisy at home when going to a job interview:

Recruiters aren’t that stupid: They’ll understand when you try to fit a job that doesn’t meet your knowledge and skills.

The lesson: be yourself.

Yes, it doesn’t feel encouraging to get rejected. Yet, failed job interviews can help you learn some lessons and work on self-development to prevent the same mistakes in the future.