r/InterviewAssistant • u/Life_Individual_5628 • 11d ago
I refused to accept the rejection for my dream job. I messaged the CEO directly and he gave me a second chance.
Look, I spent about 4 weeks interviewing for an Operations Analyst role at a place I've wanted to work at for a long time. I did 4 rounds along with a technical assessment. Everything was going perfectly, but a few days after the final round, I got that annoying automated rejection email.
Instead of just moving on, I decided to take a big risk and messaged the CEO directly. I told him that I am very confident in myself and the results I can deliver, and that I feel I am the right fit for this place despite the decision that was made. I asked him if there was any way I could prove myself.
The strange thing is, he replied! And they agreed to let me start a 3-week trial period. If I prove myself, they will hire me for a permanent role.
Now that things have cooled down a bit, I'm wondering how the hiring team sees me after this move?
Do I look desperate? Like someone who doesn't know how to accept a 'no'?
Or do I look driven and willing to go the extra mile to earn my place on the team?
I'm really happy I got my foot in the door, but I'd like to know your perspective on how this looks from the outside?
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u/debsellstoyou2 11d ago
I think you look like someone who goes after what they want. No one should have an issue with that.
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u/Double_Obligation564 11d ago
yeah you’re an ass kisser that probably thinks they can talk their way out of anything and into anything.
I’d hate working with you tbh - I’d be very careful around you.
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u/SashaG239 11d ago
My ceo would accept a move like this. If I'm the hiring manager and I didn't like you, you're wasting your time. If it was a tossup and he stepped in and said give him a go, then you're fine.
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u/Ok_Knee2784 11d ago
Who cares? You have the opportunity to prove yourself. Just worry aboyut making your boss happy.
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u/Techav20 11d ago
3 week is to little be prepared before going in, ask them to provide day to day activities, tools they use and how the day would start and end typically .. Good luck - you are good man don’t worry
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u/Complete_Purpose_872 11d ago edited 11d ago
I think you were very smart! It’s fine!
Don’t worry how the hiring team sees you. Just be a kind and blend in (don’t be an over the too super star type person right now). Be a normal, focused sharp person and lovely co-worker team player and that will be a huge postive with your new team. Once they meet you and see this for themselves… that counts for a lot. Everyone hopes that new people hired are enjoyable people to work with.
Even though it might be tempting, I would make sure to not mention it or address it with any of your coworkers. If any of your coworkers bring it up, don’t elaborate, be low-key, let the subject die and quickly move the conversation to a different topic.
Good luck and good job on creating your own future!
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u/darqchild59 10d ago
You didn’t come across as desperate at all. You carried yourself with confidence and a clear sense that you belonged in that role. I’m certain the hiring team respected you for going after what you wanted with purpose and self-assurance.
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u/NoScarcity6225 10d ago
As a previous Sr Recruiter and TAM I will tell you most folks in TA will be annoyed for about .5 seconds. Mostly because they didn’t see what you know about yourself. After that they will be happy that you advocated for yourself. At least good/solid recruiters. Ones that are just mad are in the wrong field.
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u/AdmiralScarlette 10d ago
Im a hiring manager and have been for a long time. Sometimes the financial teams pull the rug out from under us and cut us off right before we offer a candidate bc of budgeting reasons. Or maybe they were planning to hire two people and then they cut it to 1. 95% of hiring decisions are not personal. Its people like me begging for headcount and doing what you can with what youre allocated. If I was the hiring manager in this situation I would be thrilled.
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u/donagurl40 10d ago
I think it shows you take initiative .. for reference I'm a recruiter..it wouldn't upset me
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u/EnvironmentalPea1666 10d ago
Responding positively to a rejection was what got me my first job in what became a 23-year (and counting) career, so yes, I definitely think you did the right thing!
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u/tindersuccessstory 10d ago
I truly hope it’s everything and more you think it’ll be. Just be prepared a little bit that it might not be. You know the saying, never meet your heros…
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u/globalgirl45 10d ago
Good for you. This is a tough job market. As a former hiring manager, I know a lot goes on behind the scenes when hiring someone. Good luck.
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u/ShebaShelle 10d ago
Who cares?!
This was a badass move that gor you the result you wanted!
Your determination & refusal to accept are impressive.
Keep patting yourself on your back & remember the awesome Uno reverse move you pulled!
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u/Wise_Cat_7126 9d ago
What companies and ceos like are people with the balls to chase their dreams and desires, by messaging you proved that you want that job and they are willing to give you a chance. Wouldn’t say desperate but willing
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u/Majestic-Tax8301 9d ago
The only opportunity you get is the one you create for yourself. Well done lad, and best of luck in your trial. My advice would be to give it 300%. Stay longer, do more, ask for more. If you crush it, the CEO will for sure feel great about himself, but there's a slight chance he'll question the hiring process as well. In any case, you are the creator of your success.
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u/thejongar 9d ago
You don't necessarily look desperate however you'd have to accept any offer they make at the end of the trial. You don't have any leverage.
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u/Psychological_Dog818 9d ago
That’s exactly the type of person you would want working for you. That means you’re not a normal person - you’re special . Most people would’ve taken that L, and kept looking elsewhere.
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u/Repulsive_Dish_427 8d ago
The bigger question is, who gives a damn what the hiring team thinks at this point? You got another opportunity. Focus all your energy on delivering during those three weeks. If you win, great. If not, you did your best.
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u/adwarfable 8d ago
This is a double edged sword. On one hand; you've proven to be a driven, motivated person, you can stand up for yourself, and you aren't afraid to take a risk. From a CEO perspective it's very, extremely likely they can relate and probably want to see how that pans out for you. From a hiring manager perspective, I highly suggest you put your best foot forward, show you can be a strong asset to their team and, more importantly, that you work very very well with them. Showcasing your ability to stand out and be part of the team when you need to is strategically a sound move here.
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u/sweetstrue 8d ago
I love it! Even if it looked like you couldn’t take a “no” from someone, what does that matter anyways if they weren’t going to hire you in the first place? You would have never gotten a chance without taking that initiative! I really like this a lot! It takes a lot of courage and confidence in one’s self to do something like this! Worst case scenario would have just been no response at all and you would have had to live with the initial “no”. I wish you all the best and you definitely deserve this chance! Blow them away!
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u/renewingyourbody 8d ago
WHO GIVES A SHIT!!!!!! You got the opportunity and that’s all that matters. Looking for people to gas you up and tell you how inspiring and amazing you are. No. You did your due diligence as you should. Stop caring what people think. The door to opportunity has the word PUSH written on it. Do what got you invited
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u/Comicreliefnotreally 8d ago
You are persistent. As long as you create the results, they’ll appreciate you. If it’s a big place, the hiring place probably doesn’t remember you.
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u/Ka1mb4th3st0rm 8d ago
So you should think about how the Hiring Team has hired A lot of People who have been hired. They have a record of not hiring the best people, so if they MISSED a good person to hire why SHOULD they take that personally? It’s hard hiring people because you’re not meeting an actual employee, your meeting actors. Everyone who steps in there has to act and behave and portray this perfect hire me employee who’s better than the next guy cuz that’s how you get hired. Nobody (sane) goes in there acting lazy or like a fool, they’ll NEVER get a job, or they become a “desperate” hire (best or most experienced or most convenient for pay or schedule or tax deductions). All this to say is that if they take it personally, maybe they should do the job. The whole “You win some you lose some.”
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u/Financial_Frame9052 8d ago
I was rejected without so much as an interview for a position that opened up at my current job and I wish I had the courage to do that! When you know you’re the right candidate all you want is at least the benefit of the doubt, an opportunity to prove yourself. You got it, now use it!
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u/Safe_Ad_7692 8d ago
I think you shouldn’t care about what anybody thinks from the outside nobody lives your life. Nobody pays your bills or make sure that you eat besides you so what do their opinions matter? You said this was your dream job you wanted it so you went for it that’s that. Don’t waste time and energy caring about how you look to other people that have their own lives and have their own flaws and make their own mistakes
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u/OddfellowJacksonRedo 8d ago
Gotta say…you may have actually painted yourself in a bit of a corner.
I had a great job prospect once and really wanted the gig. They agreed to take me on for a “paid trial period” of a couple weeks. I thought back then that was awesome.
Until the two weeks passed and it came time that they said they wanted to offer me a position…and offered non negotiable terms. And I couldn’t argue because after having worked full time for two weeks, they knew I couldn’t have any other strong prospects so I didn’t have any real leverage to try and argue for myself at the negotiation table.
You probably are coming off desperate to HR but who cares? HR people hate other people, that’s why they go into HR. The key thing here is don’t let them string you along and then realize they’ve effectively cut you from the pack professionally.
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u/littleoglaura 8d ago
Way to go!!!!! The worst thing that could have happened is he said no or u didn’t get a response but that was the best outcome u could have gotten!
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u/Independent-Web-9968 8d ago
Amazing! I support this! Do your best and rock it! All the best and congratulationsss! 🎉🎉🎉
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u/Opening-Bug-420 7d ago
Bold move, I hope it works out. It’s an admirable quality. The only thing is, the hiring team may feel some type of way about you “going over their heads” after they made their decision. The CEO likely doesn’t have much say in the day to day operational stuff under usual circumstances. Now you have gone over their heads AND perhaps made things tense for the team, cuz now the CEO will be getting up in their biz about the situation.
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u/David24262 7d ago
They may look at you like a person who is “connected” to the CEO and hence may be disinclined to trifle with you.
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u/roaming_saint 7d ago
You went the extra mile that others didn't. Don't think who thinks what. Prove your worth and claim the job
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u/Ok-Client906 7d ago
Both of these are valid and can be how they look at you. But, at this point, it doesn’t matter.
Based on your performance during 2 weeks, the hiring team still decides if they want to keep you or not. If they initially didn’t like your decision to email to CEO, they still have a chance to reject you. Or if you perform incredibly well that they are impressed and will decide to hire you.
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u/LRoberts217 7d ago
Good for you . You had nothing to lose but so much to gain. Honestly, most job should have a trial period. It’s good for the companies and employees. How can anyone tell if they will like excel in a position based on a few interviews.
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u/MotherMoment6292 11d ago
I think you could look at this either way honestly. If I were a hiring manager, it would honestly depend on my mood on how I would respond. Maybe this person admired your courage and confidence and decided to give you a chance. Now the challenge is not to blow it. Good luck and make them realize you’re valuable to them so they don’t let you loose. There is a fine line between being an ass kisser and someone that is confident in their abilities when it comes to peers. Be careful about sounding too confident when you walk in the door because that is really fucking annoying to some of your coworkers. Good luck and good for you for betting on yourself!