Responding to Rejection

[clurpantz]

Hello All! 

 

How does one respond to a PI who lets you know they have decided to go with another applicant? I want to keep a relationship with them but am unsure how to end the email. 

 

Any thoughts??? 

 

Thanks!! 

[yellowmint]

Say you were interested in working with them, so you're dissappointed you were not admitted. But you appreciated the interview (if there was one). Then ask how you can improve as an applicant.

[BiochemMom]

Was this a rejection from the school or just from his lab?

[clurpantz]

It was from a PI whose lab makes their own decisions about students, no university input whatsoever.

 

I only applied to work with him and nobody else. We've met and have developed a relationship over the past year so in my email I'd like to write something at the end about how I look forward to collaborating in the future or something like "let's stay in touch" but more professional sounding. 

[berba9]

The complete opposite, in a way, happened to me.

 

 

I had a skype interview 1 on 1 with a random faculty member (not my POI). I answered the preliminary questions about my own research experience and future interests competently enough and was then told to ask questions about the program. After a single question from me (again nothing out of the ordinary) I was told by the prof "ok i think thats enough" and the interview was wrapped up.

Within 12 mins! (for the record most of my other interviews have been 25-30 mins)

 

Today I got a rejection with no explanations at all.

I'm quite pissed, and wondering if I should mail the program asking them why, and whom I should mail within the program...I really really liked the work of 1 of the profs there.

 

(I realise it's obvious which univ this is  by looking at my signature)

[expandyourmind]

The complete opposite, in a way, happened to me.

 

 

I had a skype interview 1 on 1 with a random faculty member (not my POI). I answered the preliminary questions about my own research experience and future interests competently enough and was then told to ask questions about the program. After a single question from me (again nothing out of the ordinary) I was told by the prof "ok i think thats enough" and the interview was wrapped up.

Within 12 mins! (for the record most of my other interviews have been 25-30 mins)

 

Today I got a rejection with no explanations at all.

I'm quite pissed, and wondering if I should mail the program asking them why, and whom I should mail within the program...I really really liked the work of 1 of the profs there.

 

(I realise it's obvious which univ this is  by looking at my signature)

 

in all honesty this probably happens a lot. you have no idea what they are looking for in a candidate and maybe they didn't feel as though the fit was there compared to other applicants. i wouldn't take it personally but thats the name of the game. it sucks being rejected, especially after an interview but they are looking at a lot of candidates and others may have been an entirely better fit for the program. also, being international may have been a factor - i know its tough for funding in the US and universities are weird about accepting a large number of international applicants (some aren't)

 

all throughout these interviews its not only figuring out if you are a good fit for their program, and also if their program is a good fit for you. its very reciprocal. i like to think of it as a first date. if you hit it off - great, if not, then its a no go. 

[berba9]

in all honesty this probably happens a lot. you have no idea what they are looking for in a candidate and maybe they didn't feel as though the fit was there compared to other applicants. i wouldn't take it personally but thats the name of the game. it sucks being rejected, especially after an interview but they are looking at a lot of candidates and others may have been an entirely better fit for the program. also, being international may have been a factor - i know its tough for funding in the US and universities are weird about accepting a large number of international applicants (some aren't)

 

all throughout these interviews its not only figuring out if you are a good fit for their program, and also if their program is a good fit for you. its very reciprocal. i like to think of it as a first date. if you hit it off - great, if not, then its a no go. 

 

 

I understand all of that, but I don't see how within 12 mins "fit" could be judged, especially given that (in my opinion) I answered the questions in those 12 mins quite OK, and that I was being judged not by my POI but a different professor. The sign off from the interviewer was "ok i think that's enough, looking forward to seeing you."

 

It struck me as weird to say "that's enough" having not asked much, but that last phrase gave me quite a lot of hope too... The rejection letter was super generic (which bothers me still) but it sort-of hinted at funding, so maybe that's it.

Edited March 13, 2015 by berba9

[expandyourmind]

I understand all of that, but I don't see how within 12 mins "fit" could be judged, especially given that (in my opinion) I answered the questions in those 12 mins quite OK, and that I was being judged not by my POI but a different professor. The sign off from the interviewer was "ok i think that's enough, looking forward to seeing you."

 

It struck me as weird to say "that's enough" having not asked much, but that last phrase gave me quite a lot of hope too... The rejection letter was super generic (which bothers me still) but it sort-of hinted at funding, so maybe that's it.

 

exactly from this it sounds like the fit wasn't there i'm sorry. and honestly it didn't sound like they were very interested which could say a lot about the program. if thats the funding or another reason then maybe, but for an interview to go only 12 minutes and to be cut off short they must not have been very invested. 

i don't think any interview i've had ended THAT early without the other party being disinterested. most of my interviews went over time by a considerable amount, and the only one that were cut short (15 min into a 30 min interview) i didn't feel the fit at all and i didn't get into that program either (which was for the best). it seems a little weird to be able to get a good sense of a fit in only 12 minutes, but for me the fit was instant and obvious. but of course for a skype interview that can be different.