What to Do After You Fail Job Tests (GMAT) & Interviews
Feb 5th, 2008 by Loy Okezie
Photo courtesy of **TR-ipod
Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. - Thomas Edison
So you have recently failed a job test or an interview? You have finished your NYSC for years now and no job. You are frustrated and depressed. You decide to give up and accept failure and perhaps say: “Nigerian employers or interviewers are very biased”.
Well, before you decide what to do with your career life, there are important things to consider. In this post, I’ll be discussing what you need to do after you have failed one or more job tests and interviews.
Here are some suggestions that might help:
1. Ask yourself why you failed
Perhaps you haven’t asked yourself these questions: Why did I fail this job test or why was I not selected for that job? Sometimes a self-scrutiny is helpful in this stage and process of your career development. If you fail a job test, for example, it might be that you didn’t prep yourself up with the likely questions to be asked. Or maybe you did, but you didn’t give the right answers. After all, many people finish a University exam and say: “Ah, that’s an ‘A’ for me”! Only to find out later that they got a C grade or worse. I’ve been through that!
If you can identify some reasons why you failed the job test after a careful analysis of your job search (or job hunting, if you like), you might find areas where you made mistakes and discover ways to improve next time. Thus, now that you have failed the job test, you now have the opportunity to succeed by finding out before hand the likely job test questions and preparing for the big challenge. If you are interested in a career in the Nigerian banking sector, you can find a detailed guide for aptitude tests for graduates in all Nigerian banks from the Careers Nigeria forum. Click here for more information.
2. Have a positive outlook
Don’t think that it is the end of your career journey! Believe that your failure has given you an opportunity to succeed next time. Worrying over your past failures will prevent you from living in the present (and maximizing the moment) which gives you no hope for the future. So always have a positive outlook and your positive state of mind would likely work for you in your next challenge.
3. Focus on preparing yourself for the next challenge
If you really have a career plan, purpose or goal, and you are passionate about your career goal, then you should start preparing for the next job test or interview in your career preference. Talk with people who have knowledge of your career environment. They could be personnel of the company you wish to work for or they might know people who are
having a successful career in that company. Your goal should be to get that dream job at all cost. Be focused and don’t relent! If you like Rugby, watch some games. You will notice that it takes as many ‘tries’ as possible to win a match. In the game of Rugby, a try (or try at goal) gives your team five (5) points and a possible two (2) points from a conversion (kick at goal).
So my friends, you need as many ‘tries’ as possible to win your dream job or career.
4. Look for any part-time job
While you are still preparing yourself for your next job test, take up any part-time job that would keep you busy. The job doesn’t have to be something around your career focus, nor does it have to pay well. It is better than staying at home. If you’re lucky to find a job in your career choice, that’s perfect. For example, if you are interested in a career as an accountant in the Nigerian banking sector, you can take up a cashier or sales job in a restaurant, hotel, etc while you are waiting for your next career step. Or perhaps you can take up a teaching job in your field of study, and if you’re a computer kid, you can start writing programming softwares, or take up an Internet cafe job. There’s always something to do out there, folks!
5. Celebrate your achievements
Learn to celebrate your achievements in your job or career search. Sometimes we get frustrated when no one recognizes our achievements not realizing that the person that should be celebrating is you. So celebrate your strengths, your successes; your abilities, your achievements; and remember to celebrate your failures too!
One day you will get your dream job or make the right career choice. But before that happens, you need to find out what is more important to you? Getting a job or choosing a career?
I’ll be discussing this aspect in a future article. In the meantime, feel free to make comments and ask questions.
To your career success!
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Please,which edition of the gmats does intercontinental bank do use to set their exams for fresh graduates?
what patern of exam does banks set in their aptitude test
@ Rabiu and Sabinus - Please see if this link to Careers Nigeria forum would help.
Thanks so much, this is something that is more than Gold to me. Thanks
I appreciate your effort and commitment to seeing men discovering themselves and fulfilling their purpose. I have been re-fired. More grace to you. Thanks
@Taofeeq - I appreciate your comment. Please tell a friend;-)
@Earnest - Thanks man, please come back soon for more fire!
Thanks a lot for the wonderful jobs you guys have been doing. Each time i log into your site, I am inspired; coupled with the job adverts on daily basis for thousands of unemployed Nigerian youths and for the inspiration you have been giving to the frustrated youths who might have been busy with one form of juvenile deliquency or the other. You have provided hope for the hopeless, empowered the powerless, provide jobs for the jobless…………….
Infact, no english word can be used to describe your immeasurable assistance to the common Nigerians.
All I have to say is thanks a lot.
Thanks a lot Loy Okezie. This is very interesting. At least there is hope for those that failed. The basic word there is “Never Give-up”.
@Olumide - I’m inspired too by your comments. We hope to keep providing that hope and inspiration. Thanks, man!
@Victoria - Your word coinage is perfect and sums up my article;-) You can call me Loy:-)