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I was rejected from a job interview a few years ago - wow 13 years ago now - and was honestly shocked after how well the interview went.

I decided to write a letter (email) to the HR department implying they'd made a huge mistake (the head of HR was in the interview too). She (as much as I knew at the time) overruled my would-be boss and the rest is history.

Best email I ever sent.

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Bold move, and it clearly worked out for you! I do think it's a risky strategy, though. A respectful follow-up asking for feedback or reiterating your interest can leave a great impression, but telling a company they made a mistake could easily backfire with a different hiring team. Every situation is different, so I'd be cautious about recommending it as general advice.

I was simplifying my HN comment for brevity, I didn't just go "you've made a mistake by not hiring me, gimme the job" in the letter.

I was in a similar situation and probably sent a cringy, emotional email because when I read it back now after all these years, I am embarrassed at how desperate my tone was. It all worked out well, though; I learnt to handle rejections better, and in fact ended up with way better gig in merely 3 weeks after that.

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