If you’ve ever walked out of a multi-round product management interview thinking, “That went pretty well,” only to get a rejection email days later—you’re not alone.
Recently, a candidate I coached reached out to share that she had made it through four in-person rounds with six different interviewers. Her feedback? Overwhelmingly positive. In fact, one of the toughest evaluators on the panel had nothing but praise for her performance. The role wasn’t junior. The bar was high. And she cleared most of it with ease.
But in the final round, she was thrown a curveball: a question about advertising testing—something completely outside her core experience. The assumption was based on a misinterpretation of her resume. She got nervous, stumbled, and couldn’t think past a certain point.
Sound familiar?
The company’s final feedback? “We see a lot of potential in you, but we don’t have time to onboard or train.”
What stings the most in these moments isn’t always the rejection—it’s the ambiguity. You wonder, Was it really just the one question? Should I have clarified my experience earlier? Did I lose the offer by a single answer?
Here’s the truth: probably not. What you’re hearing isn’t “you’re not good enough.” It’s “we’re not in a place to invest in someone who’s 90% ready—even if they have sky-high potential.”
That’s not about your worth. That’s about their capacity.
And here’s what else is true: the closer you get, the more discouraging each “no” can feel. But that closeness is also proof you’re leveling up. You’re brushing up against the bar—not missing it entirely. That’s progress.
So what can you do?
- Apply for roles where you’re actually a fit. This means 100% matching any minimum requirements and matching at least 80% of any additional/ideal requirements. You’ll prevent a lot of heartache early.
- Start training for ambiguity. The farther you go in interviews, the more you’ll get hit with vague, assumption-laden, or even unfair questions. You can’t predict them, but you can build the muscle to respond with clarity, even when you don’t know the answer yet.
- Reframe the feedback. “We see potential” isn’t a brush-off. It’s a signal. If four out of six people were ready to hire you—and the fifth was complimentary—that’s not failure. That’s momentum.
- Don’t go it alone. Sometimes, what separates “almost” from “offer” is coaching, preparation, and reflection with someone who’s seen the patterns across hundreds of interviews.
If you’re feeling low after a near miss, you’re not starting over—you’re building from experience. And when you’re ready, get help that helps you sharpen your edge. A setback isn’t a sign to stop—it’s often the last checkpoint before the door opens.
If you’re ready to close the gap between ‘almost’ and ‘offer,’ coaching can help. Whether it’s navigating ambiguity, building interview stamina, or sharpening how you tell your story—having someone in your corner makes a difference. When you’re ready, reach out.
You’re closer than you think.