Are You Abandoning Your Opportunities Too Early?
Curt Skene’s In2Win! Career Coaching Supplement.
While you may find yourself tempted to abandon an opportunity when you don’t perceive an immediate fit, don’t! If you believe an interview went poorly you may think you’re protecting yourself by bowing out before the employer drops you; but ultimately you are there to win the opportunity. Candidates who feel the need to tell an employer they are pulling themselves out of a competition are being guided solely by their egos.
There is no upside to cutting short any employment discussion and all you are doing is severing what could be a potential connection or referral. Many times candidates are called back from a past interview and offered a different position that the employer found more suited to their skills. You never know how it will all turn out in the end so let it run its natural course.
I’m not suggesting you stick with opportunities that are unethical, illegal or well below your abilities. I am suggesting you show greater restraint before jumping ship. More often than not your impression of an interview differs from the employer’s perception, so leave your ego at the door.
The only time you need to make a decision is when the employer presents the offer. If you must bow out, offer the company a qualified referral to another candidate if possible.
Continue every credible interview process. Each conversation creates opportunity and strengthens your skills.
Why I Wrote This Page
Because both you and the employer are reading incomplete signals in an interview, and your read on how it went is frequently wrong.
You don’t have access to what’s happening on the other side of the table, budget changes, internal politics, a role getting redefined after you leave the room. When you decide an interview “went badly” and pull yourself out of the running, you’re betting on very poor information. Employers regularly call back candidates for a different role entirely, one they never would have considered if that candidate had removed themselves first.
This isn’t about pretending every opportunity is right for you. It’s about recognizing that walking away early is almost always driven by ego protection, not real information.
Action Steps
- Never withdraw from a process based only on your own read of how an interview felt. Let the employer make the decision, not your anxiety.
- If you must decline an opportunity, wait until an actual offer is on the table, not before.
- When you feel the urge to self-eliminate, ask what you’re actually protecting, usually it’s your ego, not your interests.
In2Win! Afterthought
Curt’s current observations and updated guidance will be added here.
Suggested Reading Links
The Learning Library contains hundreds of books on a variety of business and career topics. We want to make sure you don’t miss these ones.
What does this page mean for your search?
Share an idea, ask a question or learn from other In2Win! members. Posting requires a Quickstart, Premium or VIP login.
Be the first to join this discussion
Join the Discussion →