Hands Down the Best “No” I’ve Ever Received

I just got rejected from a job interview, but honestly, it was one of the coolest rejections ever.

This job was two levels up from where I sit now, so I knew it was a stretch. After the interview, I sent a thank-you email to the hiring manager. Instead of just replying, he actually called me.

He said, “I just wanted to give you some feedback. You were a really strong candidate. I wanted to push you through, but I was only allowed to down-select a couple of candidates. The others had direct, existing manufacturer relationships, which is what we needed for this sales/business development position. That’s not something you had in your portfolio, but you were strong in so many other ways.”

And then he said something even better: “I’ve already passed your resume to our talent acquisition team and told them, we need to work with this person somewhere. I also passed your name to another hiring manager who doesn’t have a requisition out yet, but will.”

So sure, I didn’t get this one. And yes, I still have other applications in play (never all eggs in one basket). But this was hands down the best “no” I’ve ever received. It wasn’t just a rejection, it was feedback, encouragement, and a genuine connection.

That’s how I want to reject people too someday, by picking up the phone, offering transparency, and making sure they leave the process better than when they came in.

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Mama, I know how easy it is to get lost in the swirl of kids, work, and life. That’s why I love creating space for moms to pause, breathe, and be reminded of their beauty. At Kristian Hutchings Portraits, you’ll be cared for from start to finish, and you’ll leave with images that show you the grace and strength your family already sees every day.

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Kristian is a mom of six, Program Manager by day, active Professional Photographer by trade, and a big believer in finding beauty in the everyday chaos.

Life in our house is loud, messy and full of literally everything. Love, noise, laundry, laughter, and definitely could use a bit more grace. I'm happily married to my best friend, grounded in my Catholic faith, and fueled by five to six hours of sleep per night and adrenaline.

I try to find joy in the everyday — even when it's wild, because without the little bit of joy, this life would be unbearable. This space is for the moms in the middle of it all: the ones juggling family, faith, work, and wonder. The ones that need someone else's messy life to make their own seem better or somewhat normal. You're not alone, and you're doing better than you think.

Welcome to Six Sweet Smiles — where we celebrate the mess, the miracles, and everything in between.