A little while ago, I applied for an internal position I really, really wanted. It meshed well with my skills and enthusiasm for insurance. It also would have helped me grow in ways that I would not have thought possible this early on in my career.
I did some interview prep, including mock interviews, and started taking a class in an area I knew I was weak in for the position. It was a long shot, but I gave it my all and felt pretty confident about it.
But I did not get it.
And I know why I didn’t. There was a stronger candidate, one with a very strong background in the areas that I was weak in.
To my employer’s credit (and this individual in particular), I was informed in the kindest way possible that I didn’t get the position and that I was doing all the right things.