The applications, the interviews… the offer! Going through the process of finding a new job is time-consuming, and often frustrating, but once an offer comes in the feeling is nothing but relief and excitement. That is, until the offer is rescinded.
It’s not a great feeling, but it’s unfortunately not an uncommon occurrence. In fact, it happens to many people. So, if you find yourself in this situation, don’t panic.
First, try to understand why the offer was rescinded. There could be a perfectly valid reason – the company may have run into financial difficulties, or the role may have been put on hold indefinitely. If this is the case, there’s not much you can do except move on and focus on your other job prospects. If you and I worked together to find you this position, you can be certain that I’m right here with you while we look for the next.
Ask For Feedback
To make the best of a tough situation, the first thing to do is to ask for feedback — was there something in your interviews that gave them pause? If so, you can work on addressing those concerns in future interviews. Knowing where things went wrong is the first step to fixing them, and it can also be helpful to your self-esteem if it turns out it wasn’t anything you did (or did not) do.
Can We Fix This?
It may be worth trying to salvage the situation. Start by reaching out to your point of contact at the company and asking if there’s any way to remedy the situation. If the offer was rescinded because of salary negotiations, for example, you may be able to come to an agreement that works for both parties.
If the offer was rescinded for another reason — perhaps the company decided you weren’t a good fit after all, or they found someone with more experience — then it’s time to start looking forward.
Back To Square One
You could start the job search all over again. It’s not ideal, but sometimes these things happen and you just have to roll with the punches.
Have you been working with a recruiter? They may have other positions that would be a good fit for you, which can always be a nice confidence booster after a rejection, and knowing that someone else has your back while you are going through the job search is a good thing — especially someone who is actively seeking out roles for you.
Asking For Your Old Job Back?
You could try to go back to your current employer and ask if there’s any way you can stay on in your role, or if there are any other positions available that would be a better fit for you. This can be awkward, and it may impact your negotiating power, but if it seems like a reasonable option then it may be worth exploring.
Just keep this in mind if you feel compelled to be a little too honest during your exit interview. Not all criticisms are constructive.
Most Importantly, Stay Positive
The bottom line is this: don’t despair if a job offer is rescinded. Yes, this is a very frustrating situation, and you have every right to be upset, but try to stay calm and think things through before making any decisions. Hey, maybe the offer being rescinded is an indication of chaotic management and internal communication issues — you might have just avoided many future headaches.
Whatever you decide to do, stay positive and keep moving forward – a better opportunity is just around the corner. Luckily, it’s a job seeker’s market right now, so the most important thing to do after you decide to move forward is to stay positive.
If you are looking for job opportunities in digital marketing, and especially if you are scrambling after having an offer rescinded, let me know what you are looking for, and let’s get to work finding you the perfect position!