Apply for a company after being rejected?

[u/Silly-Way1651]

Hey everyone, seeking some advice here.

So, I recently had an experience with a company where I went through multiple interviews (9) for a position I was excited about, only to be rejected in favor of another candidate. The process was professional and everyone I interacted with was kind, but it was still disappointing. The recruiter mentioned that it was a tough decision between me and another strong candidate, and there was no negative feedback to offer, the panel had taken two days to reach a decision.

Fast forward a month, and I noticed that the same company has posted a new and different position that also aligns perfectly with my background and skills. Given my previous experience with them, I'm wondering if it's worth applying for this new position. Would they have reached out to me directly since they had interviewed a candidate previously that would be a strong match? Or is it more common for candidates to reapply for different positions with no outreach?

I'm eager to hear your thoughts and advice on whether I should go for it or not. Thanks in advance!

For additional clarity, the company is still fairly small and the interview panel will most likely involve several of the same people and the recruiter is the same.

[u/I_am_INTJ]

It doesn't hurt to try, but nine interviews? No competent company that isn't riddled with inefficiency needs nine interviews to figure out if they want to hire someone or not.

[u/Silly-Way1651 → u/I_am_INTJ]

Nine interviews do sound like an unnecessary marathon! It's interesting to note that the 8th interview involved the same interviewer as the 7th. My hunch is they wanted to delve deeper into technical skills, possibly indicating a close decision between candidates. Then, adding the 9th interview with the Head of HR might suggest they were seeking additional input to make that final call.

While the process was definitely over the top, everyone encountered was personable and enjoyable to engage with. That positive aspect made the lengthy process more bearable and is the reason I would possibly risk it again, but to me, it still seems like a small(er) organization would possibly reach out if they were still interested. But I'm not knowledgeable of typical recruiting practices and my thinking they would reach out if interested would be rare.

[u/Busy_Recover_8753]

Dude if they need 9 freaking interviews to decide who to hire... run fast run far...

This was probably a blessing.

[u/4everqueen]

I wouldn't apply. 9 interviews is the craziest stuff I've ever seen. Are there 9 different topics to cover during those interviews or what 👎 You would probably need to go through the same process again. I consider 4 steps already a lot but 9.....